The LAPD fights crime, not illegal immigration

News Type: Opinion — Seeded on Fri Nov 6, 2009 6:16 PM EST

Article Source: The L.A. Times

us-news, crime, police, law, immigration, los-angeles, homeland-security, ice, law-enforcement, janet-napolitano, lapd, 287-g

Seeded by Josh of Arc

Earlier this month, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced that 11 more locations across the United States have agreed to participate in a controversial law enforcement program known as 287(g). The program gives local law enforcement agencies the powers of federal immigration agents... 67 state and local law enforcement agencies are working with ICE, acting as immigration agents.

Some in Los Angeles have asked why the LAPD doesn't participate. My officers can't prevent or solve crimes if victims or witnesses are unwilling to talk to us because of the fear of being deported. That basic fact led to the implementation almost 30 years ago of the LAPD's policy on immigrants, which has come to be known as Special Order 40. The order prohibits LAPD officers from initiating contact with someone solely to determine whether they are in the country legally. The philosophy that underlies that policy is simple: Criminals are the biggest benefactors when immigrants fear the police. We can't solve crimes that aren't reported because the victims are afraid to come forward to the police.

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4.8

1.1

{"commentId":10532274,"authorDomain":"josh-of-arc"}

Josh of Arc

This is a very compelling op-ed piece written by the LAPD Chief of Police.

And especially in states like mine (Arizona) where program 287(g) was enthusiastically embraced by people such as flamboyant Phoenix Sheriff Joe Arpaio, my interactions with law enforcement officers makes me tend to agree with his viewpoint.

Immigration enforcement is needed, but it needs to be kept separate from local law enforcement.

{"commentId":10532274,"threadId":"718663","contentId":"3469958","authorDomain":"josh-of-arc"}

4 votes

#1 - Fri Nov 6, 2009 6:22 PM EST

{"commentId":10532523,"authorDomain":"bevy"}

Bev-341827

I live in the Denver Area. Denver and surrounding areas have become infested by Mexican gangs, failing schools and have added to holes in our social and medical system. Our local law enforcement absolutely needs to be active in the arrest and deportation of illegals.

The cost of illegals is too high.

Illegals should be deported, as our laws require.

Center for immigration studies is a non-partisan organization. Check out their site.

http://www.cis.org/Costs

{"commentId":10532523,"threadId":"718663","contentId":"3469958","authorDomain":"bevy"}

2 votes

#2 - Fri Nov 6, 2009 6:36 PM EST

{"commentId":10532714,"authorDomain":"animallovernwriter"}

Auteur 1536

And what if the crimes are being commited by illegals, well, other crimes besides entering the country illegally and taking advantage of the system.

{"commentId":10532714,"threadId":"718663","contentId":"3469958","authorDomain":"animallovernwriter"}

#3 - Fri Nov 6, 2009 6:49 PM EST

{"commentId":10533637,"authorDomain":"whatanoddguy"}

whatanoddguy

And what if the crimes are being commited by illegals, well, other crimes besides entering the country illegally and taking advantage of the system.

Presumably the police would investigate the crime like they would any other. Why would you assume otherwise?

{"commentId":10533637,"threadId":"718663","contentId":"3469958","authorDomain":"whatanoddguy"}

1 vote

#3.1 - Fri Nov 6, 2009 7:48 PM EST

{"commentId":10537315,"authorDomain":"ulicnyp001"}

George-369262

Have you heard about Stephanie Mohr ? She is still in prison for doing her job, just as was the case with Ramos and Compean. If I was a cop, this would give me pause.

http://www.policedefense.org/mohr.html

{"commentId":10537315,"threadId":"718663","contentId":"3469958","authorDomain":"ulicnyp001"}

#3.2 - Sat Nov 7, 2009 1:00 AM EST

{"commentId":10537359,"authorDomain":"ulicnyp001"}

George-369262

The headline " LAPD Fights Crime, Not Illegal Immigration" is especially ironic, given that reportedly 95% of the homicide warrants issued in LA County are for illegal immigrants.

{"commentId":10537359,"threadId":"718663","contentId":"3469958","authorDomain":"ulicnyp001"}

#3.3 - Sat Nov 7, 2009 1:06 AM EST

{"commentId":10541199,"authorDomain":"josh-of-arc"}

Josh of Arc

given that reportedly 95% of the homicide warrants issued in LA County are for illegal immigrants.

Never seen that stat. Can you cite a source, please?

{"commentId":10541199,"threadId":"718663","contentId":"3469958","authorDomain":"josh-of-arc"}

#3.4 - Sat Nov 7, 2009 11:31 AM EST

{"commentId":10533166,"authorDomain":"jim0131"}

Smyth

If I speed on the freeway, and an officer sees it, I get a ticket and am fined (i broke a law). If I don't pay my fine, I can have my license suspended and be arrested (I broke a law). If I park my car in a no-parking zone I get a ticket and am fined (I broke a law). If i don't pay my fine, I can have my license suspended and be arrested (again, I broke a law).

If I'm a citizen of another country and try to enter this country illegally and an officer sees it, nothing happens to me and the officer continues to "protect and serve" the community.

Isn't this a little concerning to the citizens of this country? I understand why the illegal immigrants and those sympathetic to them prefer this approach, but why do we ask our own citizens to abide by our laws if we won't even ask the same of immigrants?

{"commentId":10533166,"threadId":"718663","contentId":"3469958","authorDomain":"jim0131"}

#4 - Fri Nov 6, 2009 7:18 PM EST

{"commentId":10534356,"authorDomain":"picker335"}

picker335

If we don't close our borders to the invasion of illegals our country is doomed. Also, we must demand that our government force all employers to use the E-Verify program for all employees and applicants.

The E-Verify program will capture all illegals and when they can't get a job here they will repatriate themselves back to Mexico and all the other countries from where they came.

It really is so simple to deal with this mess our government has created. Yet our own government keeps throwing the American citizens under the bus with this issue. Please tell me why our own government is selling out its own citizens.

{"commentId":10534356,"threadId":"718663","contentId":"3469958","authorDomain":"picker335"}

#5 - Fri Nov 6, 2009 8:37 PM EST

{"commentId":10537194,"authorDomain":"ulicnyp001"}

George-369262

' Please tell me why our own government is selling out its own citizens.' Our political class doesn't identify with the rank-and-file citizenry... they have been allowed to stay in office far too long. This is the premiere argument for term limits.

{"commentId":10537194,"threadId":"718663","contentId":"3469958","authorDomain":"ulicnyp001"}

#5.1 - Sat Nov 7, 2009 12:42 AM EST

{"commentId":10536288,"authorDomain":"wyrdtor"}

azwyrd

"Criminals are the biggest benefactors when immigrants fear the police. We can't solve crimes that aren't reported because the victims are afraid to come forward to the police."

Rather strange thinking IMHO. Criminals benefit all the way around -- the illegal alien will not contact the police because they are already "criminals" themselves by being in this country without proper credentials. If they do get a visit by the police, no questions are asked about their national status -- how fortunate for them!

With Sheriff Arpaios' regular county sweeps, scores of illegals are found and arrested. Of those arrested, a significant percentage are wanted on other warrents and/or have violent criminal records.

A lot of the Sheriff's raids are within the walls of American businesses. There's a lot of speculation on the companies knowledge of there employees being illegal or not. We've heard of several companies the sheriff shut down because of their illegal hiring.

The LA police are missing out of a good way to reduce crime....

{"commentId":10536288,"threadId":"718663","contentId":"3469958","authorDomain":"wyrdtor"}

#6 - Fri Nov 6, 2009 11:06 PM EST

{"commentId":10537208,"authorDomain":"ulicnyp001"}

George-369262

" Sheriff Arpaios' regular county sweeps " I really admire this guy...

{"commentId":10537208,"threadId":"718663","contentId":"3469958","authorDomain":"ulicnyp001"}

#6.1 - Sat Nov 7, 2009 12:43 AM EST

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JOSH OF ARC

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The LAPD fights crime, not illegal immigration

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