Fixing Blame in LAPD Shooting of Teenager

Re “In Black L.A., Reaction Is Strong but Complex,” Feb. 11: I live in South-Central Los Angeles and just spent the last two evenings at a combination of streetside memorials for Devin Brown and community meetings to plan how to respond to the latest killing by the Los Angeles Police Department.

After reading your last two days’ coverage of the official response, I can only wonder what planet Mayor James Hahn, Police Chief William Bratton and a majority of the City Council live on. Their emotional demands that poor and working people tax themselves to hire more police would be laughable if the situation were not so tragic.

If one city official had bothered to show up at the widely advertised protest meetings, he would have heard people’s suggestions for what to do about the abysmal state of police-community relations. He would have heard unanimous approval of an economic boycott of Los Angeles until the police department, whose policy promotes the beating and killing of poor people of color, is held accountable. He also would have witnessed a unanimous vote for an elected civilian review board over the cops, with an independent prosecutor with the power to investigate, subpoena, prosecute, hire and fire cops and police officials who continue to abuse the black or Latino or any other targeted population.

The Los Angeles Times would be doing everyone a big favor by reporting the actual thoughts of the residents of the community.

Marian Sunde

Los Angeles

*

Why do The Times, black community leaders and politicians always put 100% of the blame on the police for these types of incidents? The community must look at itself to help this crisis. First, what were these two kids doing in a stolen car at 4 in the morning? If the parents had been more attentive, they would have not been there.

Second, the police cannot win in the community. They aggressively go after gangs and they are chastised for racist tactics; when they back off and crime rates rise, they are chastised for not caring about the community.

Relationships are a two-way street. The police are at least making an effort; what are the community leaders doing?

Brian Martinez

Adelanto

*

What is it going to take for the LAPD to clean up its act? I have lived in Los Angeles all my life and it has always been the story. The LAPD targets and abuses the Latino and African American communities. Nothing has really changed or been reformed in the LAPD. Whom do they “protect and serve”? My heart aches to hear of yet another senseless shooting by the LAPD.

Francina Vivier

El Segundo

*

Why is the LAPD suppose to baby-sit young teenagers out at 4 a.m. stealing cars?

Bob Haley

Ontario