Cops should fight real crime

santa-cruz.com/archive/2002/December/28/edit/let.htm

December 28, 2002

While shopping on the mall yesterday, I was solicited for pot by an
undercover cop (I found out he was a cop watching him with some
uniformed cops arresting a poor homeless man and a benign skater kid
who sold a gram of weed to an undercover cop).
At first I thought maybe he was an obnoxious gay man paying an
inordinate amount of attention to me. I understand the store owners
on the mall need to blame something beside the failing economy on
their ailing business.
I understand the cops need to justify their salaries some way. I’m
returning all the gifts I bought for people and never shopping on the
mall again. I hope somebody gets the message, but I can see too
many over-zealous, blind infidels attempting to control the population
with martial law.
I grew up in Philadelphia where cops left people who weren’t stealing
or hurting anyone alone. If nobody’s getting hurt, we should let it be.
Please wake up our leaders. This county doesn’t need a bunch of
wannabe “G-men” dragnetting the streets for benign people who
cause no real problem or pose no threat. If drugs must be a target,
go after what really cripples folks (heroin, crack, meth, etc.). Those
types seem to be roaming about fairly freely. I’m confused.

LANCE CLOUDEN
Santa Cruz