Black police protest layoffs in Detroit

A black police union staged a rally to protest the fact that 500 of the 690 officers laid off last Friday were blacks or women. The layoffs have effectively cut the percntage of blacks and women on the force from 40 percent to 25 percent.

Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, 500 off-duty policemen picketed City Hall for the first time in the history of the Police Department. the demonstration amplified the officers' frustration over an apparent stalemate in negotiations for a new contract. The officers seek a 13 percent pay increase, but the city has offered a 10 percent raise plus a 3 percent boost in fringe benefits.