AS A veteran Boston police officer, I am outraged at Kevin Cullen's column "Asking for trouble" (City & Region, July 21). Cullen reports the views of a man from Albany, N.Y., named Jim Rufo, who opines that the police response to the unruly crowds after the Boston Celtics' victory was excessive and somehow responsible for the death of David Woodman. As one of the officers who was confronted with the violent, obnoxious, drunken behavior of so-called fans "celebrating" the Celtics' victory, it would be my pipe dream to grab Rufo and Cullen by the scruff of the neck, put them in a police uniform for the night, and have them deal with these alleged "fans." All under the guise of celebrating, these morons smashed windows, lit fires, urinated in public, and committed multiple acts of assault and vandalism.
As police officers, we are always damned if we do, damned if we don't. We're either too aggressive or not aggressive enough. But for Cullen and Rufo to use the Boston Police Department for a punching bag is outrageous. The officers who had the unfortunate occasion to interact with Woodman are guilty of nothing more than doing their jobs.
Sitting behind a computer at the Globe criticizing cops is indeed a luxurious bully pulpit, isn't it?
JAMES W. CARNELL
Area A-1 representative
Boston Police Patrolmen's
Association
Roxbury
