http://www.kpho.com/Global/story.asp?S=3586946

Local police examine their role in combating illegal immigration


FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. The head of the D-P-S says Arizona taxpayers shouldn't expect local and state police to cure all the state's immigration ills, but local officers can assist federal agents in confronting the problem.
Governor Napolitano ordered D-P-S chief Roger Vanderpool to hold a closed-door meeting to explore ways to lessen immigration problems in Arizona.

Vanderpool says various law enforcement officials discussed Napolitano's pilot project to assign a dozen D-P-S officers to assist local police and federal agents in immigration cases.

Critics like Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas say the discussions didn't get to the heart of the problem.

Thomas says today's get together was "a number of panelists who all agreed with the governor's position on fighting illegal immigration," discussing various minor ways to address it.

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