PUBLIC FORUM : CRITIC OF LAPD MANAGEMENT TAKEN TO TASK.

This is in response to the comments by reserve officer Greig Smith ``LAPD leaders don't understand the Valley,'' Public Forum, Sept. 17) wherein he criticizes Los Angeles Police Department management and the department's dispatchers for their alleged lack of commitment and knowledge of the ``unique problems'' of the Valley divisions. He notes that he is a ``proud volunteer'' who spent ``nine months of my time to become a reserve police officer.''

As a 20-year-plus line reserve officer, level I, I took great umbrage with his comments. While my entire tenure with the LAPD has been in South Central L.A., I have had the opportunity to work on many occasions in different Valley divisions. Further, as a field reserve officer, I have handled or been involved with almost every imaginable crime - drive-by shootings, murders, rapes, child abuse, domestic violence, robberies, etc. - on more occasions than I even care to remember, though they will exist in my dreams and memories forever.

One lesson I have learned is that police work is police work, no matter which division or city one works in. A field officer's primary duties are crime suppression and responding to radio calls for police assistance.

Smith stated that his watch commander assigned him to a car described as a primary car assigned to a specific area.

Under the LAPD's basic car plan, each division is divided up into geographical areas, to which an A-car is assigned. These cars have the primary responsibility for calls and crimes in their area.

However, considering the size of the city and the limited number of patrol officers and units, it is almost impossible to maintain ``area integrity'' - handling all calls in your A-car area. We are frequently required to handle calls in other A-car areas, and even in outside divisions, when units are tied up with calls or arrests. When there are more calls than available units, we just don't sit in our little geographical area while our division or a neighboring division falls apart.

I find his comment that he and his partner never once worked ``in that community'' to be incredible and it demonstrates a lack of knowledge and experience in police work, particularly the LAPD.

Our badges say ``Los Angeles Police Department'' and not ``Devonshire Division Police Department. Assigned to 17A75 Only.''

His criticisms of LAPD management and, by inference, his commanding officer and the overworked dispatchers is not well-taken.

Come on down to Newton and we will show you some police work and department loyalty. You will see people who must rely heavily upon the police because they are poor, yet wonderful, people who cannot run to the Northridge Mall because they live in terror of gangs and violence in their communities.

They cannot even walk to the store without fear of harassment. I was raised in the Devonshire Division and could always leave my home, day or night, with little fear of being molested on the street.

Robert C. Nichols Oxnard

Police expansion

Re ``Council questions merger plan; proposal would join transit police, LAPD,'' Daily News, Sept. 17:

It is plain for anyone to see what is going on here. Mayor Richard Riordan is trying to bolster the LAPD numbers before the elections.

Councilwoman Laura Chick properly raises the question, ``Why is the city pushing to merge the MTA police, when the harbor and airport police are a part of the city?'' Good question. Could it be the higher numbers?

It seems as though Riordan, to make his campaign promise come true, will not stop at any cost, including subterfuge. If now seems the time to incorporate them, then why did his staff not incorporate the MTA police more quickly?

If the mayor's staff is truly interested in giving the city the best, then why not have an independent review by a highly respected consulting team as to where the money is going in the city's budget? I know this is not wanted by either side, but a review was made of the Police Department after the Rodney King incident.

Why not have one that will look into the proper methods of funding for police, fire, libraries, etc? Then give it to the citizens for their approval. I am sure most citizens want what is proper and are willing to pay if they know an honest effort is made by all.

But the actions of the council and mayor lately involving spending hundreds of millions for a new sports arena and a face lift for the Coliseum, all downtown by the way, make taxpayers wonder what is going on. Let the downtown megamoguls finance their own.

- John Adams Northridge

Death of a football player

I was one of many who were shocked by the death of Eric Hoggatt, the Reseda High School football player who passed away shortly after the game with Chatsworth High School.

Although the death was apparently an indirect result of playing football, I still strongly believe in the integrity of the sport. To many people, football is life. To others, it is a good time and to others it is an excellent spectator sport.

I cannot believe the stupidity of those who suggest banning the game or changing the rules to make it ``safer.''

People love football for the contact and danger. Injuries are inevitable. I feel for the family and friends of the deceased, but I believe that football is the greatest game in the world and that life is nothing without risk.

- Louis Dezseran Northridge

Support for crime victims

The crime victims support group referred to in the article ``Slain man's widow faces deportation'' (Daily News, Sept. 15), is Parents of Murdered Children and Other Survivors of Homicide Victims, [phone]. It is the only national self-help organization designed solely to offer emotional support and information about surviving the loss of a loved one to murder.

We are here to provide ongoing support needed to help parents and other survivors deal with the pain of their tragedy, to facilitate the reconstruction of their lives; to provide contact with similarly bereaved persons, to provide information about the grief process and the criminal justice system as they pertain to survivors of homicide victims; to network with victim assistance offices and advise families of the available aid; to increase public awareness of the problems faced by survivors.

A POMC support group meets monthly in the San Fernando Valley and is led by survivors for survivors.

Jana Shinkle North Hollywood

Partial-birth abortions

Our elected officials in Washington are trying to override President Clinton's veto of a bill they overwhelmingly passed last spring, HR 1833. This bill banned the murdering of an infant as it is being born. The procedure is called partial-birth abortion.

When the House and Senate voted to ban this procedure, Clinton vetoed the bill and in so doing told us loud and clear just who he is and what he stands for. For him to use the executive arm of the government to perpetuate the murder of unborn infants is unbelievable.

Wake up, America. Don't put these people back in office. It's time to clean house.

Joyce Flynn Glendale

Shakur's legacy

In response to a ``A dead-end life,'' editorials, Sept. 17:

The death of Tupac Shakur will show some the errors he made and they will exit that lifestyle. But for every one of those, there will be five who will now embrace that magnetic culture to the death. What a legacy.

- Robert C. Litwack North Hollywood

Human rights

It didn't take long for President Clinton to go to the aid of the Kurds. The ``butchers of Baghdad'' were bent to exterminate poor and peaceful people.

On the other hand, what did President Wilson, the English and the French do when the Turks commenced to slaughter the Christian Armenians in the 1915-1916 period. Absolutely nothing. All shut their eyes as if nothing happened.

- John Momjian Studio City

Clinton fails to keep his promises

For some time now, I've heard in the news how President Clinton is ahead in the polls, anywhere from 15 percent to 20 percent. I have to ask, on what basis?

He campaigned on a promise to either reduce taxes or offer a tax credit for those with children in school. He also made a promise to the Haitians that he would not turn anyone away, like mean old President Bush, but would welcome them to America's shores if they could get here. After he assumed office, he reneged on his promise to reduce taxes and, instead, raised them to the highest level in history.

Once again, he is campaigning on a promise to cut taxes or offer college tax credits. To those who believe that Clinton is the greatest thing since sliced bread - what makes you think he is going to deliver this time?

Should he be re-elected, expect more of the same. However, if a tax cut, a tax credit or balanced budget amendment occurs, it won't be because of him but rather in spite of him.

- Michael Herrera Inglewood