Thread: AZ-Mesa Chief: Immigration enforcement drains resources

Mesa Chief: Immigration enforcement drains resources
31 commentsby Nathan Gonzalez - Apr. 15, 2009 04:24 PM

What began as a news conference for Mesa Police Chief George Gascón to highlight the arrests of 173 felons - including 12 on homicide charges -- turned into an example of how police can better use resources to combat local crime instead of enforcing federal illegal immigration law.

Because the department has kept its focus on local crime instead of illegal immigrants, Gascón said the city's violent crime rate seen a steady decline since 2006.

But it might not be able to continue that trend if officers are diverted to immigration duties, he said.
The conference was Gascón's first since April 2, when he testified before a subcommittee of the U.S. House Judiciary Committee discussed the 287(g) program, which allows police to enforce immigration law.

Although Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio wasn't invited to testify, his office's strict enforcement of the law was center stage at the Congressional meeting.

"I did not go to Washington to testify against Sheriff Joe Arpaio," Gascón said Wednesday.

The chief defended the trip and said that forcing local agencies to enforce immigration law is siphoning dwindling resources nationwide.

"We have a finite level of resources, and that number is increasingly becoming less," Gascón said. "I'm also very concerned about having local police engage in activities that can detract from our ability to work effectively with every community."

Gascón said that for the first three months of 2009, violent and property crimes have decreased 13 percent compared with the same three-month period last year, according to police figures.

The most notable decline involves the number of homicides this year - zero. That's the fewest number of homicides at this point into the year since 1988.

"That doesn't occur by accident," Gascón said, noting that the low number of homicides has come through "good police work and certainly a little bit of luck."

By this time last year six deaths were investigated as homicides; in 2007 there were seven; and 12 in 2006, according to police figures.

"It's unprecedented to go . . . without a single homicide in a city of about a half-million people for this long of a period of time," Gascón said.

To ensure the city's crime rate stays low, the department routinely partners with area police task forces. Last fall Mesa teamed with the East Valley Warrant Apprehension Network and Targeted Enforcement Detail, or WANTED, to target violent offenders.

"We try to target the worst of the worst. These are very, very bad individuals," Assistant Chief John Meza said.

From January to March police made 173 felony arrests, including 12 for homicide, 16 for armed robbery, 8 for kidnapping, 11 for child molestation cases and seven arrests for rape.

Included in those arrests was Edward Winston, a gang member wanted for a murder in Detroit and Moses Mejia, who was arrested in Queen Creek in connection with a Chandler murder, said Rick Taylor, with the U.S. Marshals Office.

"These people were victimizing people and citizens in our communities, and they need to be taken off the streets before they hurt someone else," Taylor said. "They thought they could find a safe haven in Maricopa County."


http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/ ... d0416.html

So do most illegal aliens

What began as a news conference for Mesa Police Chief George Gascón to highlight the arrests of 173 felons - including 12 on homicide charges -- turned into an example of how police can better use resources to combat local crime instead of enforcing federal illegal immigration law.


I guess these 173 felons just had a bad day , oh and the illegals have a good day everyday thanks to Chief Gascon ignoring that they exist and giving them santuary ...

These people have to quit mixing apples with potatoes. Crime is one of the jobs that Americans will do, and we don't need any help in that department.
And for Arpaio to be investigated in Congress by hearing only from his detractors, without the chance to defend himself, sounds like something the Communists would pull in their "fair and balanced" courts. Guilty until proven innocent, and gee, we can't find a soul to speak on your behalf.

Gascón said that for the first three months of 2009, violent and property crimes have decreased 13 percent compared with the same three-month period last year, according to police figures.

So Arpaio's green bologna sandwiches in tents and pink underwear has nothing to do with that?

The title should read "Illegal Aliens Drain Resources!"

Mesa police focus on crime and not illegal immigrants

Associated Press - April 16, 2009 3:14 AM ET

PHOENIX (AP) - Mesa Police Chief George Gascon says the use of officers to enforce immigration laws is a waste of resources.

Gascon said the city's police department has kept its focus on local crime instead of illegal immigrants and Mesa's violent crime has seen a steady decline since 2006.

But Gascon said that trend might not be able to continue if police officers are diverted to immigration duties.

Police figures show that for the first three months of 2009, violent and property crimes in Mesa decreased 13% compared with the same three-month period last year.

There also have been no homicides in Mesa so far this year - the fewest number at this point into the year since 1988.

Information from: The Arizona Republic, http://www.azcentral.com
http://www.kswt.com/Global/story.asp?S= ... enu613_2_6