In response to the article {Metro, March 11} regarding the picketing by the Uniformed Division of Secret Service personnel: Why should these officers be paid a larger salary than the D.C. Metropolitan Police? How absurd! How many uniformed Secret Service personnel have been killed or wounded in the line of duty in the past year, five years, 10 years? I can't think of any.

The salary -- starting pay at $19,952 -- is more than adequate for one whose main duties are to sit in a climate-controlled/bulletproof booth each day.

If any pay raise is warranted,give it to the U.S. Park Police, who actually make the arrests at the White House for any problem situations. PHILIP J. NEWTON Chantilly