Re "Innocent but in jail," Editorial, Jan. 4
Our association of deputy sheriffs and district attorney investigators has been working with the sheriff's command staff and the relevant stakeholders to develop solutions to the real problems we face as public safety professionals.
Those problems include proper staffing levels, adequate resources and securing consistent policies and procedures on the use of force and supervision.
The fact that people are wrongly identified most often starts with one of the more than 40 police agencies that refer inmates to Los Angeles County jails. If there is any question about identity, jail staff make every effort to resolve the issue.
Still, wrongly identified inmate errors occur less than once a day in a system that handles more than 15,000 inmates every day.
Floyd R. Hayhurst
Monterey Park
The writer is president of the Assn. for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs.
On Main Street
Re "Saving the middle," Column, Jan. 1
I offer to Michael Hiltzik that American middle-class stagnation and income disparity are much more the result of global competition than tax policy.
The rapid rise of our middle class immediately followed World War II, when the U.S. was the major economy left standing. Experimentation with socialism by our former allies and foes further strengthened our position as the world's foremost capitalist nation.
America's success motivated nations to adopt our ways, and what we see today is the growth of their middle classes at the expense of ours. The increasing wealth gap is occurring because our nation's multi-national businesses are successfully tapping into international markets, labor and resources.
Main Street does in fact win when Wall Street wins, but the difference now is that Main Street extends beyond our borders.
Ross Dueber
Camarillo
After the coup
Re "An accountable Honduras," Editorial, Jan. 2
It is too bad that those who support the 2009 coup in Honduras don't realize they are supporting plotters who have looked the other way while union members, teachers, activists and others have been assassinated. The coup plotters ignore or promote these acts by their failure to investigate the crimes.
The people of Honduras are waging a heroic, peaceful resistance to the injustices since the coup.
The world is watching, and we will not let the crimes of the coup plotters stand.
Chico Callman
Portland
Charm school?
Re "Resolutions for a better 2012," Column, Jan. 2
George Skelton's advice to Jerry Brown is that the governor "get around the state more and sell his agenda and charm to local civic groups."
Charm? Have I been missing something here?
Robert C. Thompson
Marina del Rey
