To the editor: I empathize with Los Angeles Police Department Chief Charlie Beck and his officers, who are reluctant to quickly release information and videos taken of police shootings. As imperfect human beings, none of us appreciates being exposed to intense public scrutiny. On the other hand, L.A.'s finest should learn from examples set by departments in cities like Las Vegas, where officers quickly post information about shootings online. First, bad things grow in the dark, and you can't set a behavioral standard without oversight. Opening up will create more support for genuine peace officers, who will then be reassured that the public has their back.

U.S. stocks are trading lower Wednesday morning as losses for phone and utility companies continue to drag the market from its recent record highs. Retailers including Target and Lowe's are skidding after disappointing earnings. The Federal Reserve will release minutes from its July meeting in the afternoon. KEEPING SCORE: The Dow Jones industrial average fell 58 points, or 0.3%, to 18,493 as of 10:25 a.m. The Standard & Poor's 500 index gave up 6 points, or 0.3%, to 2,171.