Take Proper Steps for Teen Dance Venues

Re “LAPD Considers New Tactics to Curtail Rave Parties,” Nov. 30: The incidents that occurred during late-night mini-raves are predictable, inevitable and tragic. Unfortunately, it’s less the result of teenagers’ desire to socialize while dancing (who would have thought!) and more the result of local officials and police pressuring the owners of legitimate dance venues.

The results are what we see today. Any officials who want to stop “the kids” from dancing, I suggest they rent the movie “Footloose” and draw the logical conclusions. For those who want to stop the tragedies that occur at poorly enforced, illegal nightclubs, do the right thing: Make it easier for people who enjoy music, dancing and meeting like-minded people to meet at clubs that provide responsible measures (paid security and metal detectors come to mind). To do anything else is irresponsible and shortsighted. Criminalizing Los Angeles kids who only want to dance doesn’t seem like a viable social policy, and it’s not a sensible way to spend our policing resources.

Jeff Estes

Long Beach