PUBLIC FORUM : LAPD AND FBI.

Re ``LAPD drug scandal'' (Daily News, Sept. 16):

See no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil.

What's the difference between the FBI and LAPD? Nothing. Both deny responsibility, deflect criticism and defend poorly planned and executed decisions. That about sums up the management style of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Los Angeles Police Department. And the LAPD wants to limit civilian oversight? I can see why.

- Larry Mazur Jr.

West Hills

Scandal not surprising

Another scandal within the LAPD. Is anyone really surprised? Let me see, about three years ago, the city of Los Angeles' Personnel Department wanted to hire police candidates who had experimented with heroin and other controlled substances. Also around the same time, the city did away with the height and age requirements for officers; and, with a variety of mandatory consent decrees, affirmative action hiring quotas, mandatory racial/gender promotions within the department itself, did you all expect to get the most qualified candidates/officers?

When police officer candidates are selected to uphold the law, we better be damned sure that only the most qualified individuals, who have demonstrated moral and ethical qualities, are selected.

God help the good officers who have to go through another round of hostile criticism from those who have created the problems in the first place.

- Ronald Walsh

Canyon Country

How it really works

Re ``HUD to give grants to buy, smash guns'' (Daily News, Sept. 10):

I guess the Department of Housing and Urban Development has nothing better to do with the $14 million. Here comes another temporary feel-good scheme that does little or nothing to prevent crime. It is time for the American people to hold the lawmakers fully responsible for the outcome of their ridiculous attempts to stop crime. If the tobacco companies and gun manufacturers can be sued, then why not the lawmakers? They claim fame from the stupid laws and the programs that do nothing while more innocent victims are killed by criminals. When the lawmakers pass a law or initiate a program and the law or program is a failure, the lawmakers should face criminal charges. Gun buyback programs are proven failures. If HUD has an additional 14 million taxpayer dollars to throw away, maybe its budget needs review? Turn in your $600 handgun and get $50 from Big Brother. How about the truth behind this program: Break into a home, steal a gun, turn it in for $50, to purchase five dime bags of rock cocaine and send a thank you note to Bill Clinton.

- Leo Vaughn

Santa Clarita 

A pleasant retirement

Re ``LAUSD turning point'' (Editorial, Sept. 13):

I agree that Superintendent Ruben Zacarias has acted rather strangely in the past few months.

I certainly did not approve of his actions with the defeated board members when he got them to extend his contract just a few days before they were supposed to leave the board. This did show he was just another school official eager to extend his career with a high-paying job, come what may.

I also did not approve of state Sen. Richard Polanco making noises that seemed to make Zacarias acquire a firmer backbone to ask for the extension.

I hope Zacarias resigns soon. He is 70 and deserves a pleasant retirement.

- John F. Mendez

Los Angeles 

Belmont area residents

Everyone is talking about the Belmont Learning Center. Saying that it was built on an oil field, it was built in an area that was unsafe. No one, that I have seen so far, however, has said that dozens of families were moved from those streets to build that school. There was an old oil field there 50-plus years ago. But when the school district bought the area and took over, it took over houses and apartments which were torn down.

I say this because at one time I lived in a house which is just about where the new playing field for the school is at. As did many of my relatives. Now I hear that they are afraid that the children may get something or be in danger by going to that school. What about the danger the people who lived there for many years face? Is it because the majority of the people were poor minorities that it isn't being mentioned that they lived there?

- Alex Novelo

Burbank

Hit the senior button

Re ``Seniors face perilous crossing at city lights'' (Daily News, Sept. 13):

Just install a second button on the signal poles that will give twice as much time to seniors crossing the streets. It would give them two feet per second to cross as opposed to four feet per second.

- Gary Field

Tujunga