After reading the statement made in the April 25 Record-Bee article by Don Anderson regarding the Erickson case, I am very disturbed at the intelligence made in that statement.
The statement read, “In a mid-February interview with the Record-Bee, Anderson said it was common practice for a patrol officer to have what he refers to as a “beat wife,” or a woman with whom he would have an extramarital affair.”
If you took the number of happily married peace officers to the number of unfaithful peace officers, the faithful officers would far outnumber the ones that think its okay to have a “beat wife.” Statements like this stereotype law enforcement officers to the point that they can”t perform their job duties without innuendos or puns on a daily basis. The media already stereotypes law enforcement by placing them under a microscope for every flaw in the system.
Mr. Anderson doesn”t need to contribute to this by making such a generalized statement with out showing some statistics.
It needs to be said that there are many Lakeport Police Officers that do not think that it is common practice to have a “beat wife” or and extramarital affairs. This situation is an isolated event, and I hope that people of the Lake County community will be smart enough to see that.
I am very tired of all peace officers getting punished because of the mistake of one. Mr. Anderson please think before you speak.
Tamara Hodel
Lakeport
