The Los Angeles Sheriff's Department recently showed what they are really made of, in turning justice into a game. OPERATION ANY BOOKING was designed by Lt. James Tatreau for deputies to arrest as many people as possible within a specific 24-hour period.

      Other one-day competitions included "Operation Vehicle Impound," a contest aimed at seizing as many cars as possible, while another contest challenged deputies to see how many gang members and other suspected criminals could be stopped and questioned.

      The prize for winning was "bragging rights." Lt. Tatreau described these contests as "just a friendly competition to have a little fun out here." Are we supposed to think it was fun for those who were harassed illegally and had their vehicles impounded at no small expense?

      Sheriff Baca called the competitions a well-meaning but ill conceived idea that promoted "the wrong values."

      The facts speak for themselves. On teh day of the contest, July 11th, 2007 they impounded 37 vehicles which owners could not recover until they paid whatever the horse theives at the towing companies demanded of them, or their vehicles would go up for auction right away. The daily average of impounded vehicles before July 11th, was 4.7 per day. 33.3 vehicles were impounded during the July 11th contest when justice was turned into a game.

      Yet Lt. Tatreau says, "We're not doing anything wrong." "No way, no how did anyone encourage officers to falsify a report or an arrest."

      What produces the freedom for a bull in the China closet of our rights is the "One for all, and all for one" unwritten code by which elected Sheriffs come into power. If they don't agree to the code, they don't get elected.

      It's time to appoint Sheriffs from outside. Law Enforcement has too much power at the polls.