Readers React: What part of ‘protect and serve’ don’t some cops understand?

To the editor: Since I moved to Los Angeles almost three years ago, I’ve read dozens of articles about corruption and gross incompetence inside the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. (“Televised beating again puts spotlight on law enforcement pursuit tactics,” April 11)

The LAPD’s mistaking of two women in a pickup truck for ex-officer Christopher Dorner and shooting at them in 2013 comes to mind.

And now, we have this horror show, in which San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputies were caught on camera beating a man who was lying face down in the dirt.

Is this sort of police-instigated violence now part of the culture of local law enforcement, official protests notwithstanding? I want to believe most police officers are dedicated professionals who actually believe their job is to protect and serve, and that the pool of really rotten apples — like the number of people in this video — is small.

Danielle Karson, Pasadena

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To the editor: This piece highlights a lack of journalistic integrity on The Times’ part.

The headline was, “‘Feeding frenzy’ latest chapter in ugly saga,” and above the headline were four pictures of incidents dated 1991, 2004, 2013 and 2015.

Police misconduct should be dealt with very strongly, but all the facts should be presented before conclusions and accusations are put forth as fact.

The four incidents pictured are far outnumbered by incidents that have been handled without incident or negative result between 1991 and 2015, yet you characterize the four pictures as an “ugly saga.”

Ed Freeman, Moorpark

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