Letters to the Editor: LAPD union’s refusal to shut down parties makes the case for defunding police

To the editor: There’s no excuse for public servants playing this kind of politics in the middle of a public health and economic crisis. (“Police union to Garcetti: Don’t drag cops into your ‘party house’ plan,” Aug. 10)

We — the educated, white and Black, Latinx, Asian, liberal population of Los Angeles — are watching the Los Angeles Police Department as the union representing its rank-and-file officers and they decide it’s acceptable to attack peaceful protestors in the street, but too much to ask them to pick up the phone when the city wants to shut down illegal house parties to fight COVID-19.

We are drawing our own conclusions, ones that will slash the LAPD’s budget and repurpose that money to fund workers and organizations for which service is more than a slogan and protection is not just a racket.

Duane Bindschadler, Venice

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To the editor: What Mayor Eric Garcetti should have done from the start is shut down any business, such as event management companies, party rental companies, catering companies, wedding planners and others, whose services are used almost solely for large gatherings.

If movie theaters, concert venues and other places are not allowed to operate, there is no reason why any business that profits from large gatherings should be in operation right now.

Chris Halverson, Hollywood

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To the editor: So the union for LAPD officers feels the department’s sole job in preventing illegal house parties is to issue warnings and citations. This gives the party organizers the ability to ask for forgiveness first and permission later.

The LAPD should break up these illegal parties, which ultimately endanger everyone, when they are actually happening.

Ann C. Hayman, Westwood