Letters to the Editor: Alex Villanueva’s conduct shows why sheriffs should be appointed, not elected

To the editor: How on Earth did we get to a place where a cop (in this case Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva) tells the public which laws he or she will or will not enforce or comply with? This is a common occurrence in California and an example of the tail wagging the dog.

I submit the problem is that county sheriffs are elected to their positions and are effectively impervious to oversight. These positions are elective as opposed to appointed because of political influence and associated corruption in policing in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

All law enforcement officers should be hired, fired, paid and provided absolute oversight by an autonomous, full-time commission elected in its entirety by the people.

Bob Merrilees, Camarillo