Thread: ESCONDIDO (CA) POLICE CHIEF ADDRESSES CHECKPOINTS ..........

Escondido police chief addresses checkpoints and immigration

By: TERI FIGUEROA - Staff Writer
NORTH COUNTY TIMES
JULY 29, 2007

ESCONDIDO ---- Hit-and-run crashes are down 24 percent in Escondido since the city's Police Department began its controversial driver's license checkpoints program, the chief of police said Saturday.

The checkpoints ---- and the policy of impounding a driver's car if the driver doesn't have a license ---- have raised the ire of some people in the community. Many activists argue the checkpoints are a back door to checking immigration status, particularly for Latinos.

Addressing more than 40 members of the Escondido Democratic Club at the Escondido Public Library, Jim Maher said he has not kept statistics as to how many of the people found driving without a license in Escondido are in the country illegally.

The chief also said the city does not include Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials at the checkpoints.

Maher said the reason for the checkpoint program is the city's high number of hit-and-run crashes.

"We know that a lot of people leave the scene (of a hit and run) because they don't have a license, insurance, or have other problems," Maher said.

Maher, who declined media interviews, didn't discuss one of the more controversial pieces of departmental policy: the practice of impounding for 30 days the cars of anyone nabbed for driving without a license.

The practice has become a widespread concern among Latino rights activists, who say immigrants are targeted by the impound provisions. The policy is also the central issue of a federal lawsuit targeting Escondido and other cities and counties in California.

Illegal immigration has become a hot issue in Escondido over the last year, boiling over when the City Council passed ---- but dropped after hitting serious legal roadblocks ---- an ordinance to punish landlords who rent to illegal immigrants.

Some council members are now trying to pass an overnight parking ordinance that would restrict parking on residential streets to reduce overcrowding and improve the appearance of neighborhoods. Some council members blame the overcrowding in part on illegal immigrants.

In March, Maher told the council that a new Police Department policy has officers working more with federal immigration agents. That means doing background checks on suspects for a broader range of misdemeanor violations ---- which could lead to deportation for more illegal immigrants who commit crimes in Escondido.

Maher said Saturday that the checkpoints do not target Latino drivers.

All drivers at a checkpoint are stopped and asked to show their license ---- "We stop every single person," Maher said ---- until traffic backs up. Once that happens, he said, all drivers are waived through until traffic eases up.

Asked by someone in the audience if the Police Department honors driver's licenses from foreign countries, the chief said it is "much more difficult" to check the validity of licenses from Mexico, adding "that is something we are looking at."

"But the short answer is yes, we do accept Mexican driver's licenses," Maher said.

After the meeting, club member Evelyn Langston said the chief's speech cleared up her concerns about the checkpoints.

"I don't feel like they are profiling. I had questions about that before," the 58-year-old Escondido resident said.

Club member Rick Bova said he, too, encountered the unexpected from Maher.

"I didn't find anything to disagree with," Bova said. "I was most surprised by that. It seemed logical and correct."

Contact staff writer Teri Figueroa at (760) 631-6624 or tfigueroa@nctimes.com.

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/07 ... _28_07.txt

Many activists argue the checkpoints are a back door to checking immigration status, particularly for Latinos.

So what? It would be legal if they did according to Federal law!

Originally Posted by Skip

Asked by someone in the audience if the Police Department honors driver's licenses from foreign countries, the chief said it is "much more difficult" to check the validity of licenses from Mexico, adding "that is something we are looking at."

"But the short answer is yes, we do accept Mexican driver's licenses," Maher said.

Unless someone can prove they're a tourist (i.e. passport with visa) there's no way they should be accepting foreign licenses. For non-tourists, they really aren't valid here. They can't be verified and the driver may not understand our road system or have passed an equitable test to one they would have to take here. And illegals don't belong here in any circumstance - let alone driving here.

Moving to News section.

If I lived in Escondido I'd feel safer knowing most drivers on the road had a valid driver's license, geez!
Should be checkpoints all over California imo.
It's the law to have a driver's license to drive, period!

WHERE IS IT GOING TO END???????????

The illegals and their unAMERICAN supporters want to change the U.S. to suit themselves. I have never seen so much trash in my life.

My gosh, they act as the U.S. doesn't have any right to know who is in the country?!

You're right NCByrd....where is it going to end??