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# Police arrests don’t mean much
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/police-arrests-dont-mean-much-editor/
- Published: 2007-02-14T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-24T00:03:30.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Santa Monica, #archive-import

*By David Mendez-Yapkowitz Santa Monica/Los Angeles*

In the wake of the recent arrests of the killers of Eddie Lopez and Miguel Martin, I find myself laughing out loud at the comments being made by city and SMPD officials (“Raids net alleged killers,” Feb. 9, page 1). Before there can be any kind of positive interaction between our community and police, there is a pressing issue that the SMPD and the city, for some reason, refuse to address. Even though it has been brought up numerous times, I still continue to hear about the constant targeting and harassment of our youth of color by the SMPD. This malpractice was no more evident than in the unfair trial and conviction of Matthew Vargas, and the false accusations brought upon Michael Espindola by the SMPD.

As long as the SMPD tries to tear our families apart, as they did with these two young men by means of terror and power abuse, there can be no positive changes in our relationship with police.

The reactions of several council members to the arrests shows their complete lack of knowledge and ignorance of gangs and youth violence. It isn’t very surprising though, since the entire City Council has been out of touch with its residents for quite some time now. They exist solely to please the special interest groups which support them, one of which is the Santa Monica Police Officers Association. Being in the streets almost daily, as well as having grown up with gang members, I have realized there is only one true way to end gang violence. As long as we live in a capitalist society that promotes the unequal distribution of wealth and the social oppression of Blacks and Latinos, there will always be gangs and crime. The more we’re forced into “ghettos” by means of housing segregation operating under the age-old “separate but equal” ideology, as well as receiving unequal treatment within the SMMUSD, there will be anger and depression amongst our youth of color which, in turn, leads to gang involvement and, ultimately, violence.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on February 14, 2007.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/021407.pdf?ref=smdp.com)