Separating ‘Bangers,’ Gang Members and Kids

Re “The Mythic Enemy,” Opinion, Dec. 15: Father Gregory Boyle states, “The people of L.A. are less interested in getting angry about gangs and more determined than ever to see law enforcement choose smarter strategies in dealing with them.”

Wrong. I’m glad the new Los Angeles Police Department chief, William Bratton, is angry. As for strategy -- political correctness, community policing and neighborhood chumminess aside -- the only thing I and the citizens of L.A. are interested in (I’ll be as assumptive as Father Boyle) is results. If Boyle truly wants the new chief to succeed, perhaps he could convince the gangbangers and the gang members to wear different uniforms. That would help the police enforce the law and, more important, ensure nobody’s feelings were getting hurt.

Richard Siegel

Los Angeles

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Boyle demonstrates that he misses the whole point of the gang problem when he writes: “If police can understand that their job is to isolate those gang members who ‘bang’....”

Gangs are by definition criminal organizations in their entire membership. If they aren’t at all criminal, then they’re not gangs and should be called by another name. Every gang member should be kept in jail until he or she renounces gang membership. Bratton and our representatives should be demanding that Congress amend the RICO Act in such a way that we can successfully go after the gangs.

Steve Kuhn

San Gabriel

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The gangs aren’t enemies; they are kids living in poverty without hope. I urge Bratton to hire Boyle as a consultant and bring empathy, help and caring to these hopeless young people. The whole area should find and finance programs to keep them off the streets and help them strive toward a productive future. What we can do is volunteer with youth centers in our cities. If you don’t have time to volunteer, send a donation.

Eileen Murphy

Huntington Beach

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Re “Black Leaders Caution Chief,” Dec. 14: The collateral damage caused by wars on gangs is law-abiding citizens being detained, arrested or placed in gang files. As a former LAPD street-gang intelligence officer, I’ve tried to prevent misidentifying people as gang members or associates. Usually a war on gangs produces both “good” and “bad” arrests. The latter concern me, because of California’s three-strikes laws and harsh sentencing enhancements for individuals with gang affiliations.

At peril, too, are reformed gang members. Because of old gang tattoos, many reformed gang members may unfairly be sent back to prison.

I am not surprised, though, that the community luminaries quoted, who have the mayor’s ear, offer no solution or plan to abate the collateral damage that normally occurs when police-versus-gang contacts are analyzed by quantity rather than by quality. The answer to the gang dilemma is neither with the luminaries nor the appointment of an LAPD “gang czar.” The solution can be found closer to the people and away from the politics.

Carl L. McGill

Inglewood