Thread: men posing as police officers .....Texas

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?news ... 2087&rfi=6
outreach programs designed to build trust with illegal immigrants




Wire services, Associated Press June 06, 2006





GARLAND, Texas (AP) - When a group of men posing as police officers robbed several Hispanic immigrants, not all the victims reported the crimes to the real authorities. The reason for their silence is simple, many immigrants say.
"Tienen miedo," meaning "They're afraid."
"Yes, sometimes you get afraid. It's not because you're doing anything bad. Lots of times, because you're Hispanic, people don't want you around," said Irma Delgado, a 34-year-old Mexican immigrant.

Fear of police and deportation makes illegal immigrants easy targets for criminals, prompting police departments around the country to try outreach programs designed to build trust with residents.

One program developed in the Dallas suburb of Garland, called Unidos, Spanish for "united," has yielded such promising results that Dallas began using it in February. The suburb of Richardson has plans to use it this month, and several Texas departments are considering it.

Unidos features meetings on topics relevant to immigrants. Departments bring in guest speakers and Spanish-speaking officers are always available. The message: Police won't single out immigrants if they are living in the country illegally.

"We all had another concept of police in Garland, that they would mistreat us," said Delgado, who has attended the meetings. "I've learned a lot of things, mainly, that they're here to help us."

In the 2' years since Unidos began in 2003, Garland Police Assistant Chief Steve Dye said, attendance at the meetings regularly surpasses 100 and more crimes are getting reported.

"It's focused not so much on the esoteric concerns on immigration policy ... but on enabling officers to become more aware of the day-to-day issues and people to navigate those day-to-day issues," said Phillip Lyons, executive director of the Texas Regional Community Policing Institute at Sam Houston State University.

With more than 31 million people in the U.S. who were born abroad, including an estimated 11 million living here illegally, some departments want to involve immigrants in community policing programs.

There's no way to tell how many departments are using outreach programs, and they vary greatly, said Gilbert Moore of the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services at the U.S. Department of Justice. Some publish crime prevention materials in Spanish or other languages, others provide cultural training for police and residents.

For example, Austin police coordinated with the Mexican consulate and area banks so undocumented workers could open accounts, helping reduce the number of robberies. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department in North Carolina created an International Relations Unit charged with holding crime prevention training for residents, recruiting bilingual officers and providing cultural training to police. Unit members include Spanish, Laotian, Thai and Vietnamese speakers.

After Hmong refugees and other Southeast Asians resettled in St. Paul, Minn., police started ACOP (A Community Outreach Program). The program added police storefronts in apartment buildings with predominately Asian residents and employs social workers and translators.

Now the department is trying to include Hispanic immigrants in its efforts and recently received a $250,000 grant to develop a program for Somali and Muslim immigrants, said St. Paul police spokesman Pete Crum.


©Casa Grande Valley Newspapers Inc. 2006

For example, Austin police coordinated with the Mexican consulate and area banks so undocumented workers could open accounts, helping reduce the number of robberies. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department in North Carolina created an International Relations Unit charged with holding crime prevention training for residents, recruiting bilingual officers and providing cultural training to police. Unit members include Spanish, Laotian, Thai and Vietnamese speakers.

The more they are accomodated, the longer they stay.

Originally Posted by Newmexican

For example, Austin police coordinated with the Mexican consulate and area banks so undocumented workers could open accounts, helping reduce the number of robberies. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department in North Carolina created an International Relations Unit charged with holding crime prevention training for residents, recruiting bilingual officers and providing cultural training to police. Unit members include Spanish, Laotian, Thai and Vietnamese speakers.

The more they are accomodated, the longer they stay.

More hand holding and butt kissing

Federal banking law I believe says it is a Federal offense for a bank or lending institution to open an account or give any type of loan to a person ILLEGALY in this country.

Hey great, just another meaningless law we don't have to enforce.

Think of all the money they are saving by not doing their job. Wow on this one, we're even making money. Once the little sap sucker opens an account we can bleed him for taxes as well. It's beside the point that on average he will cost us $2000.00 more per year than he pays in and we're selling the soul of America for a worthless dollar. I'll sleep better at night knowing he is not afraid to be here anymore.

I have your back but, I think we are outnumbered.

Trouble

In addition:

Now the department is trying to include Hispanic immigrants in its efforts and recently received a $250,000 grant to develop a program for Somali and Muslim immigrants, said St. Paul police spokesman Pete Crum.

If these are LEGAL IMMIGRANTS, that may be one thing, but if they're illegal...couldn't that money help some AMERICANS and LEGAL immigrants who, gee, I dunno, maybe had their jobs out-sourced or something?

Unbelievable!

I am all for protecting the human rights of all people but I am also for enforcing all laws equally. What, should a drug dealer go to the police if he is robbed at gunpoint and expect them to pursue his assailant and return his property (drugs) and money? The fact is that local, county, and state police arrest alleged criminals everyday for Federal crimes. But, try to get them to enforce Federal Immigration law and you are out of luck. The law should never be subject to selective enforcement and it is up to the People to contest and change laws that do not work for the People. The People have agreed that our immigration laws are fine, we simply lack enforcement.

And what of this mantra of victimization driving an entitlement mentality? Each and every minority group claims to be victimized but refuse the notion that they only victimize themselves. They claim that our country, our People are working to repress and enslave them. We abuse them. So why did they come here? They had a choice, correct? They come here for money. They are driven by greed. They can work in their own country, earn money in their own country, but, they want more and if they come here they will get more. When they come and see first-hand the freedom of the American People they covet and usurp this freedom without assuming the responsibility to the People. We are, each and every one of us, accountable for our own actions. My success or failures are the results of my action or inaction. My child’s success or failure in school is the result of my action or inaction. But to them it is not their fault that they have to falsify documents, lie, or break other laws to work in this country. The American People have made the laws in a way to cause them to be criminals therefore we are victimizing them. After all, they had no choice in making the laws so how can the laws be applicable to them? And once the idea that a group has been victimized is generally accepted (the Democrats are great enablers of victimization and will support any claim by any minority group) then the entitlement begins. They become a “protected species”, a specialty class that is endowed by their enablers with rights and privileges beyond that of a citizen. They are not expected to be truthful. They are not expected to obey the law. And they are insulated and protected from accountability by their enablers with the battle cry of “Racist!” and “Xenophobe!”. Even if we gave them everything we have worked so hard for, give them what we have earned because they believe they are entitled to it, it would not be enough. They would work to corrupt and destroy what they have been given just to follow to where we have moved to and again take what is not theirs.

The United States of America has room for only one culture, one language, and one People. The beauty of this is that our culture is allowed to adopt into it appreciation and acceptance of all cultures but only as Americans. One cannot come and be of another culture and accept into it only the parts of American culture they want. That is for foreigners in foreign lands. We can appreciate and allow multiple languages but not for use in conducting business, not in our government, and not in our schools. We cannot allow cultural and language barriers to fracture our People and our nation. To become a citizen one is not allowed to beholding of ideals that are against the precepts on which our country was built. We do not allow communists to become citizens but do allow citizens to become communists.

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