Bratton’s Bid to Hire More Officers for Los Angeles

Re “Bratton and Hahn Pull No Punches,” May 17: I wonder if my family (as well as others) will be sleeping much better at night now thanks to Los Angeles Police Chief William J. Bratton and his stupid, off-the-wall comment that the City Council might be clearing the way for Osama bin Laden. This isn’t New York, Chief Bratton. Intimidation may win battles in the Big Apple, but it doesn’t play well here. May I suggest a little more professional approach when fighting a serious political battle, such as LAPD expansion?

Richard Whorton

Valley Village

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Bratton needs to learn a few things about Los Angeles and California. One, we voted for Al Gore. George W. Bush hates us and tightens the screws over here every chance he gets. This in itself is the first deterrent against Mideastern terrorism. Consider replacing the Hollywood sign with “Voted for Gore,” easily visible from passing airliners. Two, a lot of us studied history. We know about Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower and D-day. Do not take the names of sacred things in vain.

And three, over the last 20 years, Los Angeles voters have consistently turned down initiatives to solve municipal problems by increasing the size of the police force. Policing, we realize, is a necessary evil. In L.A. it has really had some evil moments. More is not necessarily better. Work on the quality -- lots, lots more -- before you start pushing for quantity.

Tony Bird

Northridge

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Re “Budget Panel Says No to Police,” May 15: On May 13, at 8:25 p.m., we were robbed at gunpoint in the driveway of our Hollywood Hills home. We have since learned that this thief and possibly one or two others have been walking our neighborhood streets and robbing people since mid-April. In response to this ninth outrageous assault, the LAPD has assigned two patrol cars to this two-canyon hillside area since May 14.

It appears that the reason the LAPD did not respond more aggressively to this series of armed robberies is because of a shortage of officers. It seems that the LAPD’s citywide deployment is too thin.

We were quite disturbed to learn that the City Council decided to delay the implementation of Chief Bratton’s plan to expand the LAPD. Our message is simple: “Yesterday” the City Council should have confirmed its commitment to Bratton’s expansion plan. “Today” the City Council should raise our trash fees, etc., to guarantee funds to finance the LAPD expansion. “Tomorrow” the City Council, the California House delegation, Sens. Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein and Gov. Gray Davis should combine their energies to force the Bush administration to immediately fund its national anti-terrorism mandates, to free up local funds for local problems.

Sheri Drobnick

Richard Drobnick

Los Angeles