Letters to the Editor: Hire many more women to be cops. Then we’ll have real police reform

To the editor: Let’s replay the incident in which George Floyd died, but this time with a female officer on the scene. (“After George Floyd’s death, we need action. Fire bad cops now,” column, June 4)

Floyd is face down. The female officer notices his breathing is labored. She asks if he has health problems. He says yes. She releases the hold.

Studies have shown that out in the field, women cops tend to be diplomatic, open to the idea of compromise, empathetic and innovative in their search for solutions that benefit not only police, but also the citizens they are sworn to protect and serve.

If a well-trained female cop had been on the scene, thousands of protesters would not have been injured, many businesses would not have been looted, and Floyd would still be alive.

Jill Wright-Boyd, Los Angeles

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To the editor: George Skelton wrote a very good column on police reform.

It reminded of the time in the mid-1990s when I was working in Pasadena and asked one of our senior employees, who was black, why she was working so late. She said she had already missed her opportunity to drive through the wealthy city of San Marino to catch the 710 Freeway to her home in Long Beach, so she might as well do some work while waiting for traffic to ease on the 210 Freeway.

She then told me that once the sun goes down, she can’t drive through that city since it was guaranteed she’d be stopped by police.

What has stuck with me all these years is the nonchalant way this skilled professional woman spoke about this, as if it was part of her life as a black woman and she seemed used to it. Very sad.

Fred Gober, Playa Vista

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To the editor: After describing an incident about a black gentleman getting pulled over by the police and feeling compelled to put his hands on the dashboard, Skelton asked how many white guys have felt compelled to do that.

Well, I’m a white guy, and when I was learning to drive, my father taught me that if I get pulled over, I should put my hands on the steering wheel and keep them visible at all times. Don’t reach into the glove compartment for the registration, because the officer doesn’t know my intentions.

Keeping one’s hands visible makes the officer’s job easier and reduces the chance that he will mistakenly think I am reaching for a weapon. Every parent should teach their children the same thing, regardless of race.

Dave Courdy, Huntington Beach