Police Reform Ballot Measure

In response to “Police-Reform Vote Is a Chance for L.A. to Define Its Future,” editorial, March 30:

Once again The Times continues its campaign of hiding the truth about Charter Amendment F from the people. Your editorial correctly quotes the view of the Citizens for Integrity and Viability in the City Charter (C.I.V.I.C.) organization in opposition to the measure. We believe that “the proposed changes to the charter will transform the chief of police from a professional manager into a political appointee. . . .”

But you did not quote anything about that issue from the argument in favor of the measure. That is because there is nothing in the argument in support of Charter Amendment F which directly addresses that issue. It is not enough to talk about bringing the process of selecting and removing the chief of police “out into the sunlight.” Why not just say what the proposal really does? Then let the people decide.

Charter Amendment F will allow the mayor’s Police Commission or the City Council to remove the chief for any reason, or for no reason. Job performance, or merit, will have nothing to do with the system if Charter Amendment F passes.

The fact is that if it passes, a chief of police will be terminable at will. Any talk of “term limits” is illusory, because the chief could be fired at any time during such a “term.” So the chief would be the puppet of the elected officials, just as he was in the 1930s. Graft and corruption were the order of the day, and the police were sent to the state’s borders to keep out politically undesirable people. Who will be the next group singled out by politicians for this treatment?

The existing system affords the same protection to the chief of police as to any other police officer. In very simple terms, the City Charter now states that the chief can be removed for “failure to follow instructions, incompetency, dishonesty, discourtesy, or neglect of duty.” Nothing could be simpler, and if properly explained to the people, they will understand.

HOWARD L. EKERLING

Co-Chair, C.I.V.I.C

Sherman Oaks