EDITORIAL DISCOURAGING WORDS.

AFTER months of careful deliberation over an officer caught on videotape beating a car-theft suspect with his flashlight, the Los Angeles Police Commission has come with an official policy declaration: Henceforth, LAPD officers will be ``discouraged'' from using their heavy-duty flashlights as weapons.

Not ``prohibited,'' though, as that's not practical since sometimes it's better to hit a suspect with a flashlight than shoot him with a gun.

We're glad that's cleared up. Obviously, the Police Commission was trying to smooth things over with those upset by the disturbing video, without actually changing anything.

But it does make one wonder: If officers must be discouraged from using their flashlights, don't they also need to be discouraged from using Tasers, rubber bullets, pepper spray and firearms unnecessarily? Or does that go without saying?