Readers write for Monday, Aug. 3: Scrutiny of the cops

A July 27 letter writer argued that President Obama's criticism of the Cambridge police with regard to the arrest of Prof. Henry Louis Gates Jr. made the jobs of police harder, and implied we were all less safe because of it.

I couldn't help but flip back to the front page, where I read that one defendant has already walked free, and more are likely to because of our scandal-ridden Gang Strike Force.

The police have a difficult but vital role in our society, but not one that is improved with a lack of supervision, external oversight and even public debate. As much as some police may chafe, their decisions are subject to "Monday morning quarterbacking." This is not a sign of disrespect, but of the critical importance of their work.

So yes, Sgt. James Crowley and the Cambridge police are unhappy with the public scrutiny, but this reminder to all police that they may be called accountable for their actions is an important check on those police who forget that, first and foremost, they are public servants. As our local experiences have shown, it is when police put their own ego or their misguided loyalty to their colleagues ahead of their sacred duty that our safety is most threatened.

CHRIS MILLER, MINNEAPOLIS

According to the Minneapolis School District's "Changing Schools Options" published March 2009, we have 309 extra classrooms. We are told this surplus of classrooms is the result of declining enrollment. Yet, according to the Minneapolis Public Schools "2008 Strong Schools Strong City Referendum" published in August 2008, between 2005 and 2009 our average classroom sizes have increased from 28 students to 32 students. Truth be told, our alleged surplus of classrooms is the result of squeezing more children into fewer classrooms.

Studies over the last 30 years have consistently demonstrated that reducing class sizes to 15 students has a positive effect on student reading and math outcomes. Until we have class sizes of 15, no one should be talking about a surplus of classrooms.

SCOTT CHRISTENSON, MINNEAPOLIS

Regarding "What should their fate be?" (front page, July 30): The answer is deport immediately.

Rather than a sob story or the "miracle" the article says, the case is a testimonial about immigration anarchy and failure of those sworn to uphold laws to enforce the law.

They should never have been here, and the school should have reported them and their parents to the immigration authorities for prompt deportation.

This example of illegal conduct is particularly galling because the refugee program was intended to "temporarily" remove someone -- individuals -- from imminent threat of death or similar action and only for "political" reasons. The gang reason is a joke insulting all true refugees.

Glenn Beck calls the president a racist. Sen. John Ensign (married) sexually engages his assistant's wife and pays $96,000 to keep it quiet and runs for reelection. The Metro Gang Strike Force steals from the public and abuses its authority without our leaders calling for punishment. These are the people our children may emulate.

RICHARD BREITMAN, MINNEAPOLIS

There is a conundrum between the University of Minnesota and Central Corridor light-rail transit about vibration and magnetic interference for the Washington Avenue portion of the LRT.

This route involves upgrading the Washington Avenue bridge, which is older than the Interstate 35W bridge that fell two years ago. The new 35W bridge is built to be rail-ready. Why don't we route the Central Corridor LRT to the new 35W bridge?

KIN-SHING LUN, MINNEAPOLIS

The Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority committee chaired by Commissioner Gail Dorfman is on the verge of selecting a route for the southwest light-rail line. Within Minneapolis, the committee will recommend cutting through Cedar Lake Park on the Kenilworth trail, instead of following the 29th Street rail corridor and Nicollet or 1st Av. S. into the downtown area.

One of the HCRRA's own studies shows that it will take suburban commuters over four minutes longer each way on the Kenilworth route than on the Greenway/Nicollet route; besides personal inconvenience, that amounts to 100,000 minutes of lost productivity each day to the Minnesota economy! This occurs because the Kenilworth loop trains have to loop around the garbage burner before reaching the first downtown station. Moreover, while the Kenilworth route will make it quicker to get to the Government Center and to City Hall, the Nicollet/Greenway route will give you access to the Convention Center, Orchestra Hall, St. Thomas University, the Orpheum and State Theaters and the new Target headquarters building.

It is not surprising that our politicians and bureaucrats favor serving the public sector over the private sector. Both routes get to the Target Center and Target Stadium. In addition, the Greenway/Nicollet route will serve twice as many citizens and businesses along the Lake Street corridor as the Kenilworth corridor, which will mutilate pristine parkland and bike and pedestrian paths. If Uptown is not served by light rail in this project, it will forever be consigned to a backwater status on the metropolitan transit system.