Violence May Be Tied to Lack of Housing Police
Re “Shootings at Nickerson Gardens Outrage City Council Members,” April 7: Violence in public housing, as in other communities, tends to run in cycles. Killings in one development may spark retaliation elsewhere. However, one possible reason for the current deaths in Imperial Courts, Jordan Downs and now Nickerson Gardens may be the recent elimination of the Housing Authority Police Department.
These employees were not merely security guards but sworn police officers with law enforcement training and experience. Although they couldn’t eliminate crime, they supplemented the understaffed LAPD and could be deployed during emergencies. It is truly unfortunate that the funding could not be found to keep them.
Susan Calhoun
Former Manager
Jordan Downs, Los Angeles
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
