Thread: Sheriff`s deputies fan out across Mesa-560 comments

Sheriff's deputies fan out across Mesa
560 commentsby Senta Scarborough and Dennis Wagner - Jun. 26, 2008 12:45 PM
The Arizona Republic
MESA - Maricopa County Sheriff's Office deputies fanned out across Mesa Thursday afternoon in a highly anticipated saturation patrol that has police administrators and some residents on edge.

In east Mesa, a pair of undercover detectives with the sheriff's human smuggling unit set out in an unmarked car shortly before 2 p.m. Thursday and had detained a driver within 10 minutes for running a stop sign. The driver, who appeared to be non-Hispanic, was returning home from a dialysis treatment. He got a verbal warning.

A few moments later, the detectives pulled over an older-model, faded blue Ford pickup and cited-and-released a driver for expired registration. "What am I supposed to do, stay home?" asked the frustrated motorist, who only gave his name as Bobby. "I've got nothing to hide."

Even before Sheriff Joe Arpaio's sweep began, it had drawn attention from Washington, D.C., to the state Capitol. Arpaio's critics have accused his officers of targeting Latino drivers, which he denies.

Mesa Police Chief George Gascón said the U.S. Department of Justice will have personnel on hand to observe the dragnet, the latest in a series of campaigns by the sheriff to round up undocumented immigrants. And the state Attorney General's Office announced it will send sworn peace officers to help Mesa police during the law enforcement effort.

In April, Arpaio announced he would bring the detail to Mesa after several East Valley lawmakers requested him to do so. Earlier sheriff's sweeps in Guadalupe and Phoenix prompted allegations of racial profiling and attracted large pro-immigration or anti-Arpaio crowds. During the Guadalupe effort, Arpaio moved his command post after demonstrators made him uncomfortable.

Along with some other public officials, Gascón has criticized immigration sweeps. He recently complained that the sheriff failed to give him advance notice of today's campaign.

In an interview on KTAR talk radio, Arpaio described that complaint as "garbage." Asked whether he is concerned about demonstrators, the sheriff said, "I've got the police that doesn't want me there. It's not just protesters. But, you know, we're going full force . . . They don't want me to pick up illegals."

Mesa police have developed an operations plan to assist deputies within the city limits to "mitigate the likelihood of civil disturbance." They plan to videotape the event while community members and clergy serve as neutral observers. They also intend to create a free-speech zone for protesters, and met with demonstration leadership groups to lay down ground rules.

Gascón, who has worked with the Justice Department in the past concerning racial tensions, said he was contacted by the agency in April after Arpaio announced his plan to come to Mesa. Mesa police met today with Ronald Wakabayashi, regional director for the U.S. Western Region of DOJ Community Relations Service. The service is the agency's "peacemaker" for community conflicts and tensions over race, national origin or color."I think they (DOJ officials) are to have an overall look at the condition of the event (and) monitor how we handle the crowds, depending on how things play out today," Gascón said.

The state attorney general's office also is sending some of its sworn officers. The decision came after a conversation between Gascón and Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard earlier this week, attorney general's spokeswoman Andrea Esquer said.

"We want to make sure Mesa police has the resources it needs. Our primary concern is to ensure peace is maintained," Esquer said. "We do not have a monitoring role. This is not in an investigatory capacity."

By 3 p.m. Thursday, police and sheriff's patrol units were conspicuous in the heart of Mesa's barrio. At Mi Linda Mexico, a shop across the street from a fence mural of the Virgin of Guadalupe, shop clerk Erica Estrada said business has been down for weeks because immigrants are afraid to leave their homes.

Nearby, 17-year-old Marcos Mendez Mora calmly pushed a paleta cart full of ice cream along the sidewalk. Mora, who acknowledged being undocumented, said in Spanish he had no idea that one of the sheriff's "redadas," or nets, was occurring. He briskly pushed the cart a ways, but stopped when two children flagged him down for treats.

An hour later, about 50 protesters milled near a police command post just off Mesa Drive, where officers established areas for Arpaio supporters and opponents. Immigrant defenders waved signs saying, "One World Unbordered" and "Arpaio Go Home."

Salvador Reza, a leader with the Somos America immigrant-rights coalition, said his group has about 40 people with video cameras keeping tabs on deputies as they patrolled Mesa streets. "I'm here against Sheriff Joe Arpaio, the misuse of public funding for electoral purposes," Reza said. "I'm against the intimidation of the community and the racial profiling."

Only a handful showed up on the opposite side of the street. Richard Ingebretsen, 65, a member of the American Freedom Riders immigration control group, said he supports the roundup.

"They aren't citizens of this country," he added. "The color of their skin and where they are from doesn't bother me. Just don't break the law."


Reporters JJ Hensley, Daniel Gonzalez, Carol Sowers, Robert Anglen, Michael Kiefer and Astrid Galvan contributed to this story.


Reach the reporter at dennis.wagner@arizonarepublic.com.




http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/ ... 26-ON.html

Mesa Police Chief George Gascón said the U.S. Department of Justice will have personnel on hand to observe the dragnet, the latest in a series of campaigns by the sheriff to round up undocumented immigrants. And the state Attorney General's Office announced it will send sworn peace officers to help Mesa police during the law enforcement effort.

The United States Government and the State of Arizona should have "people" on the our National Borders to defend the United States from the invasion by the ILLEGALS instead of standing in the way of ONE of the few ELECTED OFFICIALS to do THEIR JOB!

There are now 832 comments at the link.

Jean wrote:

There are now 832 comments at the link.

I was shocked to see how many are actually against law and order.

There is an attitude---that is growing in America. I am not a psychologist, I am a people observer and have been most of my life. Take a hard look around and pay attention to the tenor of black journalists since Obama won the Democratic campaign. Notice how many black celebrities, (see Spike Lee, Will Smith), are making strong statements about prejudice against blacks and how difficult it is for those poor multi-millionaitres to get by in our society. Watch the black analysts on TV give Obama or Michelle excuses on very gaffe they make.
Then look through a Mesa or Phoenix phone book, see how many Hispanic names are there.
The masses are rising and donning the mantle of victimhood. It is appalling. It is the same mental illness that causes liberalism, the love for the nanny state, the "You owe me" syndrome.
America is growing apart not together and they cannot blame "Whitey" for it this time. It is the innate prejudice in all of us being fed by the success of others of the same, race, creed,or ethnic heritage.

So, it is not surprising to me that people of Hispanic origin, IN THE CURRENT ATTITUDINAL ENVIRONMENT, are "assuming" that they are being "victimized" by Sherrif Joe because most of the illegals are of Hispanic origin. Also note the current activity in Hawaii to become independent and not one of our states. It is a nativist movement. It is, again, fueled by the changes as perceived by the people of Hawaiian descent.

California is lost. It is just a matter of time before they become part of Aztlan. Think about it for heavens sake--a state with a city that has over 3 million illegal alien residents. Who owns that city??? The citizens of Utah, Colorado, New Mexico as well as Arizona are begging to be part of Aztlan. If you asked them to their faces, they would deny it, but that is where it is heading. Finally, check out Washington and Oregon--they are rapidly being populated with illegal aliens and even more illegal alien sympathizers. The end is near if we do not wake up and wake up NOW. Either Obama or McCain will worsen this situation, Either of them in office will oversee the end of the 50 states of the United States of America.
Sorry, but as an old man, I see most of this as treasonous and traitorous. I have come to fully understand how the men and women of the Civil War era came to their feelings and actions. I pray it does not go that far this time.

What we have in America is OURS, not the property of a select few to share with people of their choice, in a manner that they choose. Too long, those we elected to office have not taken care of the business of protecting America. An act for which they swore an oath to obey. I am developing an attitude also. It is not a very friendly one--it matches that of people of Hispanic origin and opportunistic black people who, somehow see Obama's success as a license to assume victimhood and whine and moan about how bad America is.
If you do not stand for America, you should sit somewhere else !!!!!