WRITER OVER CORRECTS ON BLACK ICE OPERATION

Editor:

I would like to respond to Mr. McBath's letter to the editor in the
Daily News on Tuesday, May 19. His comment that he has numbers that
"everybody understands" confuses me. It appears that Mr. McBath does
not understand his own numbers.

It is a fair estimate that law enforcement officers receive an average
of $40-$50 per hour paid by their respective city, county, state or
federal agencies. This wage is paid regardless if the agent, officer,
deputy, detective is sitting at a desk with his feet up, watching a
soap opera or investigating, patrolling, serving warrants, making
arrests, conducting searches, transporting or housing inmates or any
other high risk duties to his life and welfare.

An officer does not receive an extra $40 per hour if he does an
investigation of a crime, obtains an arrest warrant and takes into
custody an armed parole violator that really does not want to go back
to prison. One that is capable and willing to use deadly force to keep
from being arrested. He just puts his life on the line and does the
job at prevailing wage.

Another confusing point is the comment about high paid officials' pay.
A chief of police, sheriff or head of a law enforcement agency is on a
fixed salary and does not receive any extra compensation for their
respective agencies' operations, whether successfully performed or
not.

Mr. McBath claims that 63 people were arrested, however, no big time
dealer arrests justified the perceived or
phantom extra cost of the Black Ice operation. Small-time drug dealers
aspire to become big-time dealers. More drugs sold, more deals equal
more money.

Mr. McBath states that 36 small-time dealers arrested do not justify
the perceived expense. I am sorry, but I believe that 36 small-time
dealers not selling drugs to our kids and grand kids, make the cost
justifiable. If you believe that the small-time dealers should have
the opportunity to sell drugs to our kids because the cost to stop
them is prohibitive, then you must agree with Mr. McBath.

Public comments that put down or belittle the efforts of our law
enforcement officers who put their lives in jeopardy for our safety
and welfare do a great disservice to our law enforcement community.
What has Mr. McBath done for the safety of our community?

Larry Castillo, Gerber