Latinos accuse Colton police of racial profiling
Michael J. Sorba, Staff Writer
Posted: 10/06/2010 05:18:28 PM PDT


COLTON - A large group of Latinos who travel along city roads say they're being unfairly targeted by police.
They claim they're pulled over too often, and it's because of their ethnicity and the type of car they drive.

But police say the claim is false and those who allege racial profiling have been stopped for legitimate reasons and were issued citations for vehicle code violations.

"We don't target race, we target activity," said Police Chief Bob Miller. "We'd be glad to work with the community on any concerns, but the majority of the tickets were for no (driver) license."

More than 100 people, mostly Latino, crammed into City Hall Tuesday to protest what they call profiling by the city's traffic officers. They claimed the police are unfairly stopping Latinos who drive older model vehicles that are in disrepair.

Miller said one protester handed him a stack of traffic ticket copies and almost all were for driving without a license. Sgt. Mike Hadden, who supervises the department's Traffic Division, said a traffic officer was out patrolling Mt. Vernon Avenue when he discovered there is an issue in the area with unlicensed drivers.

"So we started working the area," Hadden said. "We started to work the problem."

Resident Hortencia Gonzalez said most of the people protesting at Tuesday's City Council meeting don't have a driver's license.

"I have to drive," Gonzalez said.

Many of those stopped for unlicensed driving give a similar statement: They have to drive to get to work, take their children to school or buy groceries, Hadden said.

Recently called to the traffic stop of a woman who wanted to speak with a supervisor after being pulled over for driving without a license, Hadden asked the woman if she had the ability to obtain a license. She told him "no," he said.

"I have a duty to enforce California law," Hadden said. "Unlicensed driving is a serious issue. They're involved in a significant portion of fatal collisions and probably a majority of situations involving hit-and-run collisions."

Those who continue driving unlicensed will continue to be cited, Hadden said. He suggested they use public transportation.

"There really isn't another option other than having to pay huge fees when your vehicle is towed," Hadden said.

Omnitrans bus passes are sold at Cardenas Market, 1067 N. Mt Vernon Ave, Hadden said.

The reason some can't get a license is because they're in the country illegally, said Resident Maria Cortez. But others who say they've been targeted are citizens and have a license, she said. Her sister, who is a citizen, was pulled over and ticketed because her license plate tabs were stuck on crooked, Cortez said.

"We're upset," Cortez said. "People can't drive comfortably. They'll get pulled over for no reason."

Officers won't pull someone over for crooked tabs, but they will if the tabs are obscured, Hadden said.

Protester Abraham Aguilar said his sister was ticketed for driving without a license, but she has a Utah-issued driver's license. Hadden said state law requires residents to have a California-issued driver license.


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