They just keep coming and no one is doing anything to discourage the continuing invasion of illegal aliens in Cleveland, Tennessee. They are running rampant in neighborhoods, taking jobs in factories, restaurants, janitorial, landscaping, construction, overcrowding schools, apartments, homes, filling up the health dept., receiving FREE services, taking up jail space, changing the housing being built with new low cost housing and bringing Spanish to daily lives in stores, schools, radio, news.

Some cities in Tennessee are attracting retirees and those with higher income levels from the Hurricane ravaged areas and from people up North. Cleveland, Tennessee is becoming a draw and safe haven for those who have broken laws, stolen identites, don't speak English, drive without licenses or insurance, belong to dangerous gangs, carry machetes and "pee" in streets and behind restaurants. This is cloaked under the umbrella of "multiculture."

Wes Snyder, Police Chief for Cleveland, Tennessee has said that "illegal immigration" is a federal issue, even when presented with pertinent facts about crime in Cleveland, Tennessee, Bradley County, Polk County Tennessee, Chattanooga, TN and Dalton, GA all which have a huge gang presence and illegal alien problem.

Cleveland, TN is right on the path of Interstate I-75, a big drug highway. Drugs, a burned body murder, MS 13, other crimes, and a large influx of illegal aliens in Cleveland have been the result of "illegal immigration." The 287 (g) has been requested of the Cleveland, TN Police Dept. and the Bradley County Sheriff Tim Gobble.

The Hispanic student population in schools has outgrown other minorities in the City of Cleveland and Bradley County, an area that has changed because of "illegal immigration." Mayor Tom Rowland, Mayor Gary Davis, Chief Wes Snyder, Sheriff Gobble and others appear to be sanctioning this growth by participating in the Ocoee Regional Multicultural Services Center, The Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce, and other groups that are ignoring the costs of this so called diversity of illegal aliens.


CPD's West Is Top Cop For Translation

by B. Jay Johnson

She may not be the police chief but she's definitely the top cop when it comes to breaking through language barriers. Cleveland Police Officer Evelyn West is the School Resource Officer at Arnold Memorial Elementary in downtown Cleveland.

Not only does Officer West provide security for the school she also serves in another very valuable capacity. Officer West is the only Cleveland police officer who speaks Spanish fluently. Arnold Elementary has about 20 Hispanic school children. The majority of the parents of those students don't speak English. Thanks to Officer West, those parents are kept properly informed about their children's progress in the classroom and other important details such as upcoming activities and events. Officer West has spoken Spanish her entire life. She grew up in Los Angeles and her father was from Mexico. He met her mother at Lee University nearly 30 years ago. Her mother was from Virginia. The couple got married and settled down in southern California. Officer West says she can't remember a time when she didn't speak Spanish. "My grandmother lives in San Luis, Mexico, south of Yuma, Arizona," says Officer West, "We used to go visit her at least twice a month." West says speaking Spanish just came naturally because so many of her relatives couldn't speak English. Following the path that her parents took, Officer West moved to Cleveland when she was 19 years old. She enrolled at Lee University and graduated in 2001 with a degree in intercultural studies. Right after graduation she was hired by the Cleveland Police Department. She spent her first year as a partrol officer. Then, during her second year she became a School Resource Officer. She's been one for almost five years. Officer West has been the SRO at Arnold Memorial for almost a year now. She says she comes in contact with Hispanic families on a daily basis. "I'm usually the first person they come to when they have a question or concern," says West, "Sometimes they look scared to death, but I'm there for them and they know it." During her interview with the Bradley News, several Hispanic mothers entered the school and greeted Officer West with a hello and a smile. It is obvious she is someone they trust. Officer West says the demand for translation grows greater each and every year. Although she's assigned to Arnold School, West says other schools will call her for assistance in helping communicate with Hispanic families that don't speak English. "They'll get in touch with me and ask if I can call a child's mother for them and tell her that her child is sick," says Officer West. West says she gets those kind of requests from all six of the city's elementary schools. Officer West says she loves her job and is thrilled to be in a position to help members of the Hispanic community improve their quality of life. She says some of the parents can't read or write even in Spanish. Sometimes she fills out paperwork for them. "They are very humble and very gracious," says West, "I think they really appreciate having someone to turn to." "I am very much a people person," Officer West explains, "and it's very gratifying to have these people raise the bar and be more productive." The need for Spanish translation in our schools is a reflection of what is taking place outside the classroom. The Hispanic population rate is booming across the south and here in southeast Tennessee. Officer West says that many of the men who come to work on farms or in factories are returning to Mexico and bringing back their wives. She says she only expects the rapid influx of Hispanic migrants to increase. In the meantime, she expects the daily requests for her assistance to increase as well. But that's not a problem at all. In fact, you can tell by the look on her face she's having the time of her life. "I feel like I'm really making a difference in these people's lives," she says. The principal of the school, Kellye Bender, agrees. "She is invaluable in helping us get the information out to our parents," says Bender, "and she's making the transition for them a very smooth one." Officer Evelyn West truly is a one of a kind officer. During the summer, when school is out, she will be putting her translating skills to use out on the highways. The Cleveland Police Department is blessed to have such a caring and giving officer on the force.
http://www.bradleyweekly.com/news.cfm?id=4939&issue=280