Editor,
I appreciated both the article and photograph from Editor Adelson (“Rookies Added to Laguna’s Force,” Oct. 1) Noel’s comment (Letters, “Questioning Photo of Rookies,” Oct. 8) that we are in Laguna so the rookies should be talking to the residents or homeless not armed like they are ready to attack. A bunch of “rambos”?
What Mr. Smith needs to realize is that our officers train in the police academy and throughout the year for the event where their training, professionalism and instinct must kick in so that they can protect him, the residents and themselves from attack.
Laguna is not in a bubble, not immune to violent attacks on the public and its police. In fact, since October 2002, when I was shot responding to a robbery of a head shop that went awry, until the most recent one in January 2010, there have been a total of five officer-involved shootings or shootings at officers. These included shootings at Montage, a robbery at Citizens’ Bank and a man who fired at three officers before taking his own life.
By comparison, Laguna Beach officers have been involved in more shootings in the past eight years than departments in Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Irvine, Fountain Valley and Dana Point, according to police association presidents who were queried this week.
How quickly some of the public can forget how we must train to protect ourselves, them and their loved ones. I am sure Mr. Smith would not have liked seeing a picture of the three new rookies standing by a police car writing a ticket but that too is just part of the job.
Larry Bammer, President
Laguna Beach Police Employee’s Association
