http://www.kold.com/Global/story.asp?S=6070508

Lake Havasu City to consider immigration training for police

Feb 11, 2007


LAKE HAVASU CITY, Ariz. The City Council will consider a proposed deal Tuesday that would let a small number of local police officers enforce federal immigration law.

While local law enforcement has generally stayed out of immigration enforcement in the past, a rising number of police agencies across the country are now asking the federal government to train officers to make immigration arrests and speed up deportations.

Currently, when an officer makes a routine arrest and suspects the person may be in the country illegally, Immigration and Customs Enforcement is contacted, and the federal government takes over from there.

Lake Havasu City Police Chief Dan Doyle has been working on the special agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Doyle would like to see at least five officers and three jail officers receive the necessary training in immigration law.

The agreement would let the trained officers question people about their immigration status, arrest illegal immigrants and transport illegal immigrants to federal facilities.