Readers React: What’s going on at the CHP?

To the editor: As an attorney who has extensive experience in criminal defense and police brutality cases — and who a year and a half ago obtained a $250,000 settlement on behalf of a woman arrested and hogtied by six California Highway Patrol officers — I have some observations. (“CHP chief ‘deeply concerned’ over video of freeway beating,” July 8)

Why CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow needs weeks to investigate the beating of a woman by an officer on the 10 Freeway is baffling. With very few exceptions, if a police officer merely claims to be the victim of an assault, criminal charges are immediately filed. This is a troubling double standard.

In my experience, relative to all the other major police agencies, the CHP uses the least force, let alone excessive force. Nonetheless, the two incidents involving defenseless women raise justifiable concern.

Lastly, there is no present information that the incident stemmed from racial prejudice, any more than my case involved a bias against young, pregnant white women such as my client.

Howard R. Price, Beverly Hills

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To the editor: Once again we realize the unforeseen consequences of being penny wise and dollar foolish when it comes to managing the mentally ill in our community.

As it was with the tragedy involving Kelly Thomas in Fullerton, Marlene Pinnock’s uncooperative and, in her case, dangerous behavior was poorly handled by police.

With a mental health infrastructure in place, these mentally fragile individuals could be properly managed and not left untreated and vulnerable to the officers who have become our default mental health workers.

When mentally disabled lives are properly managed, these individuals can become a functioning part of society, freeing police to do the job for which they are trained: handling crime. By doing the right thing for these people, the economic cost will be minimal.

Ira Kromberg, Camarillo