Pubdate: Thu, 12 Nov 1998
Source: Houston Chronicle (TX)
Copyright: 1998 Houston Chronicle
Contact:  http://www.chron.com/
Author: Byron Cloud

OFFICERS WILL BE EXONERATED

In reply to Donna C. Pendergast's Nov. 6 Viewpoints letter, "Won't run
from uniform": She must be out of touch with reality. We have rogue
cops totally out of control; police shooting unarmed civilians and
more than ever high-speed chases that end in shootings.

If six people, claiming to be police but not in uniform, break down my
door in the early morning hours while I am sleeping, I will have a gun
in my hands. Just saying you are a policeman doesn't make you one. I
believe any citizen with a gun will try to defend their family in
their home when they feel threatened.

Even if it is the police, how do we know they will not shoot first and
then wait for their internal affairs department to investigate the
incident, knowing that the whole episode will be white-washed? It
makes no difference whether it is in Houston or Bellaire or somewhere
else, the officers will be exonerated -- they can do no wrong.

Byron Cloud, Houston
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Checked-by: Patrick Henry