POLICE OUT OF CONTROL

Re: "Plano police defend stings at high schools - Drug suspect says he was
entrapped," March 24.

So I read in the paper that it's OK for a Plano undercover policewoman to
entice a 16-year-old boy to come out with her in her red sports car. It's
"acting in a professional manner" for her to give him money to buy drugs,
and then allow him to take them, without even informing the boy's parents.
Well, I'm over 40 but an attractive woman in a cute sports car can still
make me do things that I wouldn't normally do.

I expect the Plano Police Department to settle any lawsuit pretty quickly.
The policewoman should be prosecuted for corrupting the morals of a child.
Surely this is something that can only happen in Plano. But wait. In the
New York Times the same day I read about a case in California where the
police pressure a teen-age couple, under threat of prosecution, to make a
drug buy at a local drug house. The result: The boy (16) is murdered, and
the girl (15) is raped and shot.

What is going on here? The police are out of control. What possible purpose
could these practices serve? Is there any evidence at all that this sort of
stupid cruelty reduces the supply of drugs? No. People need to wake up and
realize that this "cure" is worse than the disease.

I'm very afraid for the morals of this country, and for our freedom if the
police are allowed to carry on this sort of entrapment.

SHANNON STEEL, Dallas

Tactics legal - but wrong

Re: The manner in which Plano Police Chief Bruce Glasscock used an
undercover police officer in the recent drug bust.

It seems wrong to provide money, transportation and locate a source for
drugs and then pester a known recovering drug addict into buying drugs.
This kind of behavior may not be illegal, but it is destructive of the
respect of police officers. It should not be tolerated anywhere.

I call for the admission of Chief Glasscock that this is wrong and that he
will ensure that this behavior of police is not repeated.

TOM SULLIVAN, Plano