The Militant(logo) 
    Vol.59/No.38           October 16, 1995 
 
 
Letters  

`Hats off to good cops?'
It's not only in Philadelphia and Los Angeles that the police and city officials are reeling from ongoing exposures of police brutality, racism, and corruption.

In the largest corruption scandal in the history of the Atlanta police department, six police officers in southeast Atlanta were arrested September 7 on federal charges of accepting thousands of dollars a week in protection money from drug dealers, keeping cash found in searches, diverting foot patrol officers away from dealers, showing dealers where to set up drug houses, and framing up dealers who crossed them. As many as six more officers may be arrested.

Gwinnett County police officer Michael Chapel was convicted September 10 [and given] two life sentences for robbing and killing a 53-year-old woman who had sought his help.

A Cumming police officer, J.D. Swansey, was charged September 6 with murder after beating a car chase suspect to death with a flashlight.

A grand jury indicted a Dublin police officer for molesting a 12-year-old girl.

A former Kennesaw police officer was sentenced September 6 to five years in prison for trying to hire a hit man to kill a 15-year-old girl. Atlanta prosecutors are scrambling as many drug cases involving the corrupt officers may be dismissed.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is working overtime to convince working people in Atlanta that these are only a few rogue cops. "Hats off to good cops" was the headline of a recent Constitution editorial. Atlanta Crime Commission Chairman Mike Dangerfield says the solution to bad cops is ... more cops: "Increasing the force by some 200 officers .... would reduce stress and temptations to officers"! Bob Braxton

Atlanta, Georgia

Affirmative action rally
More than 400 people rallied to defend affirmative action on September 19 in Pasadena. The "Unity Rally" was called by Citizens For Affirmative Action And Fairness, a community-based coalition spearheaded by Pasadena mayor Bill Paparian and vice mayor Chris Holden.

The rally was held in front of Pasadena's city hall. Sessions of the Pasadena city council and the local school board had just voted to reaffirm existing affirmative action legislation. The Pasadena mayor and vice mayor opened the rally with brief remarks.

Many at the rally were young people. Three carloads of young activists from the New African Vanguard Movement attended the rally. Half a dozen students from UCLA's African Student Union participated. Students at UCLA are planning protest activities for October 12, to denounce the University of California regent's summer decision to dismantle affirmative in the school system.

Alex, from Garfield High School, said she came to the rally "to defend affirmative action. There is racism today but they don't want to acknowledge it. Affirmative action provides for equality by making sure individuals get equal opportunity to jobs."

The American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council #36 and the Pasadena Firefighters Local #809 co-sponsored and participated in the rally. The Altadena chapter of the NAACP and the San Fernanado Valley NOW constituted a large presence.

John Evenhuis

Los Angeles, California

The letters column is an open forum for all viewpoints on subjects of general interest to our readers.

Please keep your letters brief. Where necessary they will be abridged. Please indicate if you prefer that your initials be used rather than your full name.

 
 
 
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