By Carlos Pineiro Santa Monica
The Daily Press has printed rebuttal letters to my July 21 letter entitled, “Where Are the Cops?” These letters challenge my allegation that the SMPD does not enforce the local laws in our city, especially downtown. To those writers, I say, baloney.
As a 15-year-resident of Santa Monica I am downtown on a daily basis. There are so many dangerous illegal U-turns by knuckleheads who ignore the law …. There are so many bikes dodging pedestrians on the promenade, last week I think I saw one guy on a 10 - peed wearing a yellow jersey. Smoking within 20 feet of a business entrance? Is that supposed to be against the law … ? Don’t make me laugh. When is the last time you saw anyone get a ticket for that? The sidewalks in front of the bars in this town have seen more butts than a toilet seat. Who are these rebuttal letter writers trying to kid?
Don’t get me wrong. I support the police. They put their lives on the line to protect us every day and thank God for that. But anyone who says that the local ordinances and traffic laws are regularly enforced here is living in a dream world.
Where are the cops? Ask anyone puffing away on the promenade. Be sure to use a bull horn so they can hear your question over the cheesy rock band playing “music” louder than a Learjet landing at Santa Monica Airport, which is a whole other story.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on August 21, 2008. Read the original PDF.