Letcher syndrome

A local reporter e-mailed me about this affliction earlier today, defining it as:

"when reporters who are new to covering Mountain View quote a certain 'self-described gadfly' as a representative for mountain view residents."

It's nice to see the Mercury is finally starting to rub off on the Daily News.

MTN. VIEW PROBING ATTACK BY POLICE DOG;LAWSUIT MAY BE FILED, CITY ATTORNEY SAYS San Jose Mercury News (California) September 8, 2004 Wednesday PENINSULA/S.F. EDITION

September 8, 2004 Wednesday PENINSULA/S.F. EDITION
SECTION: LOCAL; Pg. 4B

LENGTH: 545 words

HEADLINE: MTN. VIEW PROBING ATTACK BY POLICE DOG;
LAWSUIT MAY BE FILED, CITY ATTORNEY SAYS

BYLINE: JULIE PATEL, Mercury News

...

But Don Letcher, a retired Sunnyvale public safety officer said police dogs are very well-trained.

"They would never attack without getting the order from an officer," said Letcher, who spent 20 years on the Sunnyvale force but was not a member of a canine unit. "It's like a gun. It's the user that's responsible for the actions of the dog."

...