Thread: Chief of Police: Escondido checkpoints work

Escondido checkpoints work
Police chief responds to Perspective story questioning checkpoints
By JIM MAHER - Escondido police chief | Sunday, July 13, 2008 12:28 AM PDT ∞
9 comment(s) T

he community essay published July 6 in the North County Times was very suitably titled "Politics of Hostility," but not for the reasons stated in the article.

Hostility is what some local activists have fostered to create fear and anger in the immigrant community. The article by Bill Flores is a perfect example.

In the words of Al Smith, a long ago governor of New York, "Let's look at the record." The article states that a council ordinance displayed "politics at it's ugliest ... police and deputy sheriffs dressed in riot gear ... at two council meetings."

Well, here are the facts: police security measures were taken in response to the walk outs, traffic blocking, and demonstrations in the previous months by pro-illegal immigration groups. Our goal was to prevent violence and ensure that everyone could exercise their constitutional rights.

Our efforts worked.

Protesters on both sides of the issue had their say and the demonstrations were kept peaceful. This was not "ugly politics" ---- rather, it was an example of America at its best.

In regards to a proposed council resolution which stated "illegal immigration leads to higher crime rates," the essay implies that this must be a false statement because crime in Escondido has decreased in recent years.

I agree that Escondido has become much safer. I welcome the opportunity to expand on that. Total crime is down almost 30 percent since 2004. Gang crime was down 34 percent in 2007 when compared to the year before. In fact, our overall crime rate for 2007 is even lower than in 1980, when the population in Escondido was only slightly more than 64,000.

So how does illegal immigration factor into our crime rate?

"Criminal aliens" targeted

First off, I understand that the overwhelming majority of people who enter this country illegally are not here to commit other crimes. They have come to improve their lives and the lives of their children, which is why they are often referred to as "economic immigrants." This is exactly why our immigration enforcement policy does not focus on them.

Instead, we use our resources to locate, arrest and release to federal immigration agencies, those illegal immigrants who commit crimes while they are here. We refer to them as "criminal aliens."

For example, a year ago we reviewed our gang files and asked Immigration and Customs Enforcement to deport any documented gang members who were in this country illegally. We also routinely do special operations to locate criminal aliens who have been formally deported, since it is a felony to re-enter this country after a formal deportation.

We track how many people we arrest each month who are in this country illegally. Twenty percent to 25 percent of the criminals we book at the county jail have holds placed on them by immigration agents.

Yes, crime is down in Escondido. But, let's be honest about why it's down. Certainly, one of the reasons must be the exceptional efforts of the men and women of the Escondido Police Department, as well as the city's innovative program called the Appearance and Compliance Team, which regularly brings city departments together to clean up neighborhoods. Many other factors have also contributed to this decline, but certainly not the presence of criminal aliens.

In other words, it has been the hard work by many which has caused crime to decrease, despite the presence of criminal aliens. If we could remove all the criminal aliens, then crime would surely drop further.

Now let's take a look at the main point of Flores' essay: his belief, that there is no direct correlation between driver's license checkpoints and hit-and-run accidents.

"We check all cars..."

Of course there is! In 2007, almost half (48 percent) of the hit-and-run drivers we identified did not have a valid driver's license. This is one of the main reasons people flee accidents, even when they are not at fault. To say there is no connection is the same as denying a relationship between drunk drivers and fatal traffic accidents because the drivers we arrest have not yet caused a tragedy.

And how does he possibly support his claim that the entire Latino community feels targeted?

Only drivers without a license need to fear a checkpoint. We check all cars, regardless of who is driving.

Race is not a factor. Improving traffic safety is all we care about.

I have often invited critics to attend the checkpoints and observe our procedures. No one has taken me up on it. Why not?

Perhaps, because in 2007, out of the nearly 300 citations we wrote at driver's license checkpoints, only six drivers were turned over to immigration authorities. (Primarily, that was because those six had significant criminal histories.)

Since only 2 percent of those cited are released to immigration, the statement that the checkpoints are a cover for targeting illegal aliens is clearly false.

Racist cops?: 'ridiculous'

Members of all races are smart enough to know exactly what it is we are targeting ---- unlicensed drivers! To imply that citizens of Latino descent would feel targeted is ridiculous, demeaning and intentionally designed to create the divisiveness and hostility the author claims to be upset about.

We are working hard to explain the truth about our policies to everyone, and especially the immigrant community. I have created a public affairs liaison position, spoken at dozens of neighborhood and town hall meetings, written a summary of our immigration policy for inclusion in city publications, and continuously support numerous police and community efforts designed to bring groups and neighborhoods together.

Sadly, it is the rhetoric of some activists that is causing divisiveness, not common-sense police enforcement policies which enhance public safety, and outreach programs to ensure the inclusion of all law-abiding members of this community.

Those who want to be viewed as advocates for the immigrant community, or who claim to be spokesmen for the entire Latino community, need to stop being pro-controversy, pro-hostility and pro-divisiveness.

If they truly can influence others, then they should explain our policy at every opportunity and reassure those who would otherwise believe they are being targeted.

Despite these efforts to distract us, we are moving forward to work with all members of this community to make Escondido the safest it can be.

And here is a good example: on July 16, the Escondido Police Department is sponsoring an all-day gang prevention and intervention strategy session. We have invited more than 40 community leaders, including many who are truly Latino leaders. The goal is to create a community group that will build on existing efforts to deter our youth from gang membership.

This is how the true leaders of this community are expending their energy ---- focusing on finding solutions for community issues, not looking for obstacles to divide us.

Jim Maher is Escondido's chief of police.

We need more like him. GOOO Chief Maher, keep up the great job!

Posted earlier at
http://www.alipac.us/ftopic-123347-0.html