Proposed police reforms go soft on criminals

I do not support the nine police reform bills at all (“Maryland lawmakers ready for floor debate on ‘transformative’ policing reforms,” Feb. 26). The legislation gives the criminals more rights than the police, who put their lives in harm’s way every day.

So many of the would-be criminals are the dregs of society and should not have to be treated with kid gloves. They gave up those rights when they decided on a life of crime. Come on, Senate and House, cancel these bills from existence! Save our police men and women.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone took a leave of absence from the team to get a pacemaker and intends to return to work in a few days. “It sounds like it’s going to be a short-term thing,” GM Brian Cashman said Wednesday. “I do applaud him for being very open and honest.” Bench coach Carlos Mendoza took over as acting manager for Wednesday’s exhibition against the Blue Jays. Boone said in a statement the medical team is “confident that today’s surgery will allow me to resume all of my usual professional and personal activities and afford me a positive long-term health prognosis without having to change anything about my way of life. I look forward to getting back to work in the next several days.” The 47-year-old is entering his fourth season as Yankees manager, and Cashman said Boone told him a few days ago he intended to have the pacemaker inserted whenever the surgery could be scheduled. Boone, who underwent openheart surgery in 2009, had experienced mild symptoms of light headedness, low energy and shortness of breath over the last two months and has had a low heart rate.