South Bay cop: 'Keep it fair.'
This email came in Friday, not long after my story posted about a Manhattan Beach police officer being charged with hit-and-run driving. The charge comes a year after the officer and three others were placed on leave while the Sheriff's Department investigated the crash.
The letter is anonymous, with the phony email address "disgustedwiththeDB@hotmail.com."
I've thought how to respond, making a list of stories to refute this claim. I understand the anger and hostility toward me over a story I did in October about a Manhattan Beach police officers' death. But the one thing I really don't get is how anyone could think that the photo published a while back of a Hermosa Beach officer injured when he tumbled into a convertible's back seat was posted for laughs.
Here's the email:
The letter is anonymous, with the phony email address "disgustedwiththeDB@hotmail.com."
I've thought how to respond, making a list of stories to refute this claim. I understand the anger and hostility toward me over a story I did in October about a Manhattan Beach police officers' death. But the one thing I really don't get is how anyone could think that the photo published a while back of a Hermosa Beach officer injured when he tumbled into a convertible's back seat was posted for laughs.
Here's the email:
"For going on 15 years, I have worked as a law enforcement officer in the South Bay. I was born and raised here. Not once have I ever received even the slightest bit of discipline, as I do my job professionally every single day. Before making every decision, I think about my family and how my actions will affect not only my life and the lives of my family, but of the people I am dealing with.
In the course of my career, I have held many desired positions, worked several special details, received several broken bones on duty, had people die literally in my arms, seen a partner shot, seen a suspect shot, pulled broken and torn bodies from cars, homes, and every other place in between. I've seen bloody murder scenes, suicide scenes and the aftermath of every kind of violent encounter you can think of. And as a father, I could go the rest of my career without ever having to deal with a dead child ever again as I have dealt with enough already
.
Never in my career have I ever seen you write a good story about law enforcement. You apparently sit back and wait for the negative to appear, then publish it into the ground.
I will be the first to say on behalf of the men and women I work with, that none of us like to see someone disgrace the badge. And we will be the first group of people, those who are rank and file, to say that person deserves what they have coming for tarnishing the badge and the profession. But the vast majority do our jobs professionally and without getting into any kind of trouble in our careers.
How about just once writing a story about the hard working cop who gets injured fighting the violent drunk in the middle of a local bar, the officer who gets injured when someone else carelessly slams into their patrol car, or something that shows you have even a mild understanding of what law enforcement is all about.
Your articles seem to paint nothing but negative, and we encounter the backlash of that in the streets. You don't see it from the safety of your desk, but we see it on calls, late at night, in the middle of the day, constantly. It is unfortunate that there are so many of us out there doing the job the way it should be done, only to be overshadowed by photos of an injured officer lying in the backseat of a vehicle. Very poor taste.
Reporters are supposed to be fair. Your reputation as it stands is someone who is anti-law enforcement, and your articles seem to back that up. You'll need us one day, everyone does. And when your moment of need occurs, despite all of us knowing how you portray us and how you feel about us as a group, we will still respond, we will still put our lives ahead of your safety and do our jobs as professionally as we always do. And in the end, you'll probably still find something negative to say about us!
Keep it fair, show the people of the South Bay there are many hard working, honest cops out there. Even though you yourself don't seem to think so!"
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About the Blogger
Larry Altman has covered crime in the South Bay since 1990. He's seen it all - the missing model who turned up dead in the desert, the wives found dead in trunks, the high-school coaches who get a little too close to their players. He drives his young colleagues nuts with his "I remember when" stories. He welcomes your tips and observations about the present, and you can mix in a little Lakers basketball talk if you like.
E-mail Larry at larry.altman@dailybreeze.com.
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Sounds like he hit the nail on the head, Larry! Maybe it's time to take a nice long look in the mirror and think about your actions! They do have an impact on those who are doing right! Sometimes the truth hurts! It's very clear that you have a distaste for those in law enforcement, but that doesn't mean that you have to take shots at those when ever you have a chance. Your actions are disrespectful and cowardly!
I have chosen not to respond to your comments, but I will here. Because I can't respond to you directly, since you never put your name on your messages about me -- and likely are remarking on your own email -- what is it you would like me to do when a cop is investigated for or charged with a crime? Ignore it?
What "actions" are you talking about? Reporting the news that residents of Manhattan Beach have a right to know? When an officer died recently, he didn't die in a shootout. He died while out on leave while under investigation for a possible crime. Should I ignore that because he was a nice guy that his friends liked?
Did you read the Police Chief's statement about maintaining a high standard of law enforcement in his city? That's his job, but it's my job, too, on behalf of the people who expect the media to examine whether shootings are justified or officers are behaving appropriately. Police have the authority to pull people over and detain them and send people to prison on their testimony. That's why a free press exists, to make sure they aren't abusing their position.
What other stories would you like to reporters to let go? Bell?
I'll be in court for the arraignment Wednesday to continue covering this story.
My name is on everything I write.
From your anonymous emailer ... "And we will be the first group of people, those who are rank and file, to say that person deserves what they have coming for tarnishing the badge and the profession." Oh really? When and where? I've been reading the comments on topix and here since they began, and I have never seen it happen here. No, the attitude that comes through loud and clear from law enforcement personnel is that you all are above criticism. Well that's not the real world. Bad police work will continue to be criticized by the public.
As a local citizen and reader of the Daily Breeze, Larry doesn't have a reputation of being anti-police. What I see is a hard working reporter who seems to be the only person covering crime at the Daily Breeze, and I'm sure he doesn't have time to craft every single word so as not to hurt your feelings. You cops are beginning to get on my nerves with your constant whining about Larry's reports, and the Police Chiefs in the South Bay should put a stop to your thuggish statements of ganging up against him.
afterall, he is a CRIME reporter, not a police puff piece reporter.
MBPD needs to actively work on rehabbing their image from the negative effects of Richard Hatten and crew. Writing thuggish letters to the local crime reporter is not how to do it.
Disrespectful and Cowardly
What I think is disrespectful and cowardly would be to leave a bar, crash into two other vehicles, leave the scene without rendering aid to the injured parties, and then have my buddy at MBPD cover up everything. That would be disrespectful and cowardly.
These dishonorable actions are obviously newsworthy, but when they are covered you label the author anti law enforcement. The failure of the media to cover this story would be disrespectful and cowardly.
Keep up the good work Larry.
There is a reason why the letter writer remained anonymous, because they are plain wrong. I reviewed all of this posts on this blog for the last year and I could not find anything supports the claim that "your articles seem to paint nothing but negative". What I did find was a bunch of fact based reporting, nothing spun to either the positive or negative side of law enforcement, and at times is quite boring. There is article, after article, after article reporting on the daily selfless acts of our law enforcement communities. There also is a few articles reporting on the illegal actions of a few officers. All of them were appropriate. Perhaps there are articles where Larry spews anti-law enforcement venom, but I couldn't find them. Maybe Mr. Anonymous letter writer can point them out to me?
Also I can't help but comment on the tone of this letter. Someone used the term thuggish, and I agree. This letter is a true disappointment, and knowing it's from a member of our local law enforcement makes it all the worse. Making unsubstantiated allegations and then demanding you "keep it fair" has implications of a threat, notice how he also made reference to you in your time of need. I find this letter unprofessional and very disrespectful. If he really is an officer (which I doubt), he should be reprimanded.
I think it is obvious that the author of this letter is one of the four MBPD officers who chose to disrespect the people of Manhattan Beach and dishonor the badge. Obviously, this letter serves as a scare tactic in the hopes that you will not cover the pending charges of Richard Hatten. The timing of the letter speaks volumes regarding the intention.
It would be nice to see the law enforcement community openly condemn those that dishonor the badge, as this has to be the ultimate insult. And when I say law enforcement community I am including the District Attorney. I was alarmed to see that Richard Hatten has been charged with a misdemeanor. Had I committed the same actions, I would have been charged with a litany of felonies, innocent people were injured here. I am further alarmed to learn that these four (or three now that one is dead) are still on paid leave. When Richard Hatten is arraigned this week, the people of Manhattan Beach will be paying his salary. I find this incomprehensible and highly insultive. This would not happen in the private sector.
Crazy. This city is corrupt. Police cover ups and unjustified severance packages. We should rename this city Bell West.
I read all of the comments scolding Altman for his report on the officer who died while under investigation for protecting his buddies and fellow officers by not filing a report.
The majority of comments came from friends and family of the officer telling us what a great guy and officer he was and of all the wonderful things he did for the South Bay and how Altman was trashing his reputation.
Maybe he was a good guy up until the time he committed the worst type of police corruption. Covering up the crime of fellow officers. Bad judgment, whatever. Altman exposed him as he should have. Precisely what is expected of our free press in this country. It's a necessary check on police/government abuse.
Did the author of the email expect Altman to ignore the crime? By the way, speculation but I think the officer most certainly would have been charged with a crime and bounced off the force. I find it particularly disturbing that the email's author seems to begrudge the idea of coming to the aid of Altman should he need police assistance. The veiled threat to Altman's safety is obvious.
South Bay cops are very well paid, many making well into six figures with overtime and yet he seems to want us to praise him for seeing dead babies and getting in fights with drunks. The job is voluntary. The general public is very supportive of honest police. It’s the us vs. them attitude in the author's email that turns many people off.
Altman, keep doing your job and keep up the good work. Citizens of the South Bay appreciate your service to the community and your professionalism in the face of misdirected hostility.
This letter should be forwarded to the FBI as it is a clear abuse of power. The implied threat is obvious. Someone needs to identify reprimand and possibly prosecute the author. What a disgrace to all of the honorable members of law enforcement.
Larry, what do you think?