Slap on the wrist for city firefighters

Regarding “Firefighters at Chinatown station accused of campaign of abuse against female co-worker” (Sept. 21): I can scarcely believe my eyes. Care to speculate what would happen to your job if, at your workplace, you continuously verbally abused a female co-worker and then urinated in her chair? Do you think your employers would merely transfer you to another department?

Hardly. Yet, that is apparently the hand-slap consequences for Chinatown firefighters who harassed a female co-worker, “urinating in her bed and taunting her with verbal abuse.” They are being transferred to other stations.

The only reassignment these offenders should receive is to the unemployment line, trading the honorable term “firefighter” for a new disgraced status as “fired-fighter.”

Ann Clark, Sonoma

Lenient harassment policies

Did I just read in your paper that San Francisco Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White ordered the transfer to “new assignments” of all officers at Station 2 involved in an alleged harassment case that included urinating in a female firefighter’s bed? This is “corrective action?”

I’m reminded of the Catholic Church moving molesting priests to other parishes! I hope that there is more to this story than was reported in The Chronicle. Where else in the world could an employee urinate on a co-worker’s property and stay employed? How lenient are the city of San Francisco’s harassment policies?

Nancy Sanchez, Redwood City

Strong police chief

What is needed in a police chief is an outsider who can stand up to the Police Officers’ Association. Someone like the late Joe McNamara, the former San Jose police chief. When he arrived, the department’s reputation was that of a brutish force, particularly in its dealing with minority communities. McNamara instilled discipline, putting out news releases when he punished the troops. He created a system of rotating assignments that opened up coveted jobs. He demoted assistant chiefs. For his pains, he was rewarded with a vote of no confidence by the rankand-file. McNamara survived the no-confidence vote. Before he stepped down in 1991, McNamara presided over one of America’s most highly respected departments.

Ralph Stone, San Francisco

Upgrades that help travelers

It’s good to know that there is a $5.7 billion upgrade under way at San Francisco International Airport. However, as a frequent traveler, I would like to request what at least some of these funds could be spent on: flight check-in stations where lines are long and staff is entirely insufficient to handle long lines, with automatic self-check in only working occasionally; security lines which are so bad that passengers miss their flights, apparently due to insufficient manpower; miserable flights due to cramped, smaller seats; and unattractive arrival areas greeting us and first-time visitors after long waits in the immigration lines.

It’s a mistake to invest so much money in infrastructure, fancy stores and restaurants, when the crucial services for passengers are being reduced everywhere to save dollars. I, for one, try to avoid traveling through the fabulous new SFO whenever I can.

Heidi Feldman, Pacific Grove, Monterey County

Assistance for jailed parents

It is highly commendable that San Francisco is addressing the problems of children with incarcerated parents through San Francisco Children of Incarcerated Parents Partnership. During my 12 years of substitute teaching in San Francisco Unified School District, I dealt with many children with discipline problems, some of which must have been partially due to their having a parent in prison. It is definitely a step forward to have training for teachers in this area. Even better would be to also increase rehabilitation for prisoners with therapy and education. As proven in Finland, as shown in Michael Moore’s film “Where to Invade Next,” such rehabilitation, where prisoners live in group homes and cook their own meals, greatly reduces recidivism.

Linda Lewin, San Francisco

Flight patterns are too low

“Economy, expansion helping SFO fly high” (Sept. 19) is disheartening. The San Francisco International Airport flight patterns over the mid-Peninsula that began in March of 2015 have made it impossible for residents to enjoy their own property. Instead of flying over the ocean and then at a reasonably high altitude over residential areas and then descending over the Bay Area, as has been the case for many decades, the Federal Aviation Administration now has its “NextGen” program taking commercial flights at low altitude over people’s houses. SFO is not flying high — It is flying low.

Despite 8,000 to 10,000 written complaints a day for well over a year, nothing concrete has happened. I’m beginning to think our representatives are in the airline industry’s pockets.

Joe Cullen, Menlo Park

Trump’s maddening rhetoric

Another day, another series of horrifying statements from Donald Trump. He questions not only the right of defense to the alleged Chelsea bomber (protected by the Sixth Amendment, check that document again!) but why a wounded man should be given medical attention. Then he encouraged the police (on Fox News) to use more racial profiling.

I can’t imagine what kind of country we would live in if this madman is elected, but I feel the press should make more of an effort to see that it doesn’t happen.

Claudia Koch, Berkeley

Harsh presidential coverage

Regarding “On media criticism — fair and balanced?” (Sept. 19): Bravo to E.J. Dionne Jr. for pointing out the harsh on Hillary Clinton/easy on Donald Trump imbalance in coverage of the 2016 presidential campaigns. One of the most treacherous myths perpetrated on the American people is that they have a liberal media.

Patricia Gelb, Oakland

Wells not too big for jail

Huzzah for Lawrence J. McQuillan’s “Jail time — not fines — needed for Wells Fargo CEO” (Open Forum, Sept. 20)! Someone at Wells Fargo needs to get some hard time in jail, as do other white-collar executives we read about in the media. Are these people “too big for jail?” It should not be so. Their incarceration is essential as a matter of fairness and will serve as a deterrent to similarly placed people thinking of skirting or breaking the law.

Bruce Kennedy, Carmichael, Sacramento County