THE FOX IS GUARDING THE LAPD HENHOUSE

OK, so we carefully asked officers X,Y,Z and Q if they had any involvement
with the charges Officer Perez has leveled against the LAPD ["3 LAPD
officers' lawyers say informant overplayed," News, May 16]. They told us
no, and their word is good enough for me. They also promised that nothing
else like this would ever happen on their watch. So, you see, it's all
better now. It's obvious that bum Perez was lying to save his own behind.
Besides, they couldn't find any corroborating evidence.

Does anybody else see something wrong with the "fox in the hen-house"
approach? Why wouldn't any of the officers take a polygraph? The police
push the use of that machine in their investigations of citizens, why not
their own? It is little wonder that the average citizen loses a little more
respect for the police with each passing year. I grew up respecting the
police. Now, my advice to my daughter is to find another adult - not a cop
- - if she is in trouble.

Gregory J. Barnett
Costa Mesa