Readers React: Don’t stampede Chief Beck over LAPD horse deal

To the editor: I’m growing tired of the attacks on Los Angeles Police Department Chief Charlie Beck regarding this horse purchase. (“LAPD Chief Charlie Beck needs to start earning our trust,” Aug. 8)

As Sandy Banks notes, George (the horse in question) “is a good horse, the price was right and it may be a worthy deal.” So what’s the problem? It’s only the appearance that something might be wrong.

Beck signed off on this selection by others as a rather routine paperwork act, like any of probably hundreds of others each week that aren’t a memorable part of his job. A slick politician might have been more aware of an appearance of a conflict of interest, but Beck is pretty down to earth.

Unfortunately, perhaps he needs to think of such absurd possibilities, because this nonsense is wasting too much time.

If there are other issues of substance to look into regarding Beck’s actions, then deal with them, but please leave poor George out of it.

Harvey Barkan, Studio City