Home Streetgangs Magazine Editor-in-Chief Alex Alonso PO Box 18238 Los Angeles, CA 90018 800.249.1324 Contact Info. Accepting Submissions Now Original Homies Gang Tapes Iraqi Cards Download Gang Articles Trace Tupac's Murder Some Gangs Get Sued

Dear Mr. Alonso, I just finished reading your article "It's Not About Crime and Never Was: Bernard Parks' ouster as LAPD Chief" dated April 12, 2002. I both agree and disagree with your editorial. You are correct in saying that crime in its entirety should not be blamed on the Chief of Police. However, as an LAPD officer who endured five years of Mr.Parks as chief, I must relay to you that the decision to oust Parks was based mostly on his poor leadership and to be blunt,his hatred toward cops on the street. It was no secret that Parks did not like his officers putting criminals in jail, and that attitude filtered all the way down to supervision in the field. Now, the reason(s) for his lack of appreciation for police officers, albeit his own is up for debate, and the truth may never be revealed. We were virtually handcuffed out there. We were hated, and mistrusted by our own command staff. We were not allowed to police the streets, not allowed to do the job we were paid to do. Eventually "we" became fed up. We stopped caring. We realized that we were receiving the same pay for arresting no one, as we did for arresting 100 criminals. In addition, the less we produced, the more supervision would "leave us alone". Many were content with that. Those that were not left for other departments where they could at least regain their dignity. Mayor Hahn and the Police Commission saw a crisis. They knew why cops hated coming to work. They made the right choice by removing Parks from his tyranny. I've been a cop for almost ten years, and I will tell you with the strongest conviction that there is nothing worse than a dirty cop. I detest them. However, I made an interesting observation in comparing the Rampart and Rodney King incidents. In King, everyone pointed the finger at Chief Gates citing him for fostering a racist department. Whether that was factual or not will never be known. On the other hand however, during Rampart, no one considered asking Parks how this could happen under HIS watch. To conclude, Mr Alonso, now a days, virtually anyone can take a few tests and become a police officer. I will tell you first hand that the pride and honor that used to go along with pinning on a badge is gone. And anyone can drive around in a police car for 8 to 12 hours a day and say they're policing the streets. But it takes a special person to really police the streets. A person with the drive and passion to make the community safer. Most cops that are worth anything have that drive. What Parks did was take that drive away from those officers. They had to resort to just driving around and doing nothing to save their careers. Now Parks is gone and we are slowly regaining our footing. Be glad that Parks is gone as chief. I am. Sincerely, N. Driller News Topics | Home | Research | History | Blood Gangs | Crip Gangs | People| Life in a Gang | Gallery | Iraqi Cards | Memorial | Migration | Graffiti | Resume| Injunctions Homicides | Maps | California Prisons | Contact

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