Police policy makes no sense
Re “Bratton vows to clarify policy on immigrants,” April 17
Once again, a public official has made a statement regarding illegal immigration that I don’t understand. This time, it’s L.A. Police Chief William J. Bratton: “If you are an illegal immigrant out there and basically you are obeying the law ... you don’t have anything to fear from the Los Angeles police.”
I have never understood this weird interpretation of the word “illegal” when attached to the word “immigrant.” It’s as if somehow the latter word cancels out the former. By the very nature of being an illegal immigrant, such an individual is breaking U.S. laws. Why is that so difficult for our officials to understand?
Mitch Carter
Woodland Hills
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Amid all the talk about the illegal immigrants’ fear of coming forward to police as a witness to gang crimes, might there not be virtue in turning the equation on its head? That is to say, any illegal immigrant who provides evidence leading to the arrest and conviction of a gang murderer gets moved immediately to the head of the queue for legalization.
Lorenzo Semple Jr.
Los Angeles
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If Special Order 40 worked, the community would turn in criminals and we wouldn’t have a gang problem. We need a leader who cares more about our safety and less about popularity.
Kathy Straedey
Los Angeles
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Has anyone checked if Special Order 40 is working? Each time there is a gang shooting, there is a public appeal for witnesses to call the police. Does anyone call? It has nothing to do with immigration, legal or illegal. It has to do with fear of gang retaliation. Bratton is wrong. My taxes pay to support illegal immigrant gangsters now in our jails. Identify and deport them. Eliminate Order 40. It does not work.
Rosane Frederickson
Van Nuys