October 14, 2007 - 4:12AM
Handling of illegals: Valley police forces split
Katie McDevitt, Tribune
Valley police departments disagree on the best way to handle illegal immigration. While Phoenix police union officials seek permission to report all suspected illegal immigrants to federal agents, Mesa’s two police unions say they don’t have the resources or training to get involved in the immigration issue.

The Mesa Police Association is backing Mesa police Chief George Gascón in his efforts to focus law enforcement resources on high-crime areas, instead of using extra time to check residents’ immigration status.

At the same time, the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association has filed a proposal with Phoenix police to change a policy that prohibits officers from contacting Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in suspicious cases that do not involve felony arrests.

Gascón, Phoenix police Chief Jack Harris, the Arizona Association of Chiefs of Police and other officials held a news conference last week to discuss varying perspectives on the issue of local police tackling illegal immigration.

The Chandler Law Enforcement Association sides more with Phoenix on the issue, while police unions in Scottsdale and Tempe have not publicly discussed the topic.

“We just want the ability, the discretion, to contact ICE when reasonable suspicion leads us to believe that the person is in the country illegally,â€