Ordinary Citizen Protests Police StateLetter to the EditorOrange County Register, 1 November, 1996La Habra Police Chief Steve Staveley's response to your editorial on daytime curfews, ("Register's wrong about district attorney's role in curfew ordinance," Talk Show, Oct. 29), serves to highlight a fundamental problem evident in city after city where daytime curfews have been on the agenda. An example occurred at the Oct. 28 Cypress City Council meeting where councilmen discussed and passed a truancy ordinance that is a watered-down version of the daytime curfew.
Councilwoman Gail Kerry exposed the problem when she stated they had
to pass this ordinance "because the police asked for it."
Councilman Tom Carroll challenged her definition of the job of councilmembers.
He observed that it was the job of councilmembers to make policy, not
to be the lackeys of the (city) staff and do whatever they want.
In Seal Beach, Buena Park, and Cypress, I have watched three city
councils pass such ordinances, justifying them "because the police asked for it."
Unless we prefer living in a police-run state, we need to elect new
councilmembers.
-Cathy Duffy RETURN TO NEWS INDEX |