Statewide immigration law could undermine community policing efforts, one of state’s top cops says
By STEVEN BEARDSLEY
Posted February 4, 2011 at 7:11 p.m.

LEE COUNTY — A statewide immigration law could undermine community policing efforts by alienating minority groups, one of the state’s top cops said at a symposium for law enforcement today.

During a question-and-answer session at the end of his keynote address, Statewide Prosecutor Nick Cox said his prior experience with the Department of Children and Families taught him that mistrust of authority is deeply ingrained in some minority groups. A state immigration law could engender more skepticism, he said.

“I do worry about the level of trust, because I think community-oriented policing, programs like that, that relationship has to be there,â€