Thread: TX: Officer union calls for change in immigration rule

51 comments so far at the source link.
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Officer union calls for change in immigration rule
Group wants HPD to allow questioning about citizenship status
By JAMES PINKERTON
Copyright 2009 Houston Chronicle
May 10, 2009, 9:12PM

Houston’s largest police union, frustrated by the shootings of two officers by illegal immigrants, wants an end to the department’s 17-year-old policy of not questioning residents about their immigration status.

Such a change would put Houston at odds with the state’s five other major city police departments — Austin, El Paso, Fort Worth, Dallas and San Antonio.

Gary Blankinship, president of the Houston Police Officers Union, said the September 2006 murder of officer Rodney Johnson and the severe injuries suffered by officer Rick Salter on March 5 are reasons to toughen immigration enforcement, including an end to the policy. Both officers were shot by illegal immigrants who had been deported from Houston, but returned to commit other crimes.

“It’s a strong issue,â€

Such a change would put Houston at odds with the state’s five other major city police departments — Austin, El Paso, Fort Worth, Dallas and San Antonio.

At odds? I wonder why James Pinkerton chose that wording?

[quote]Frank Michel, a spokesman for Mayor Bill White, said the administration has no plans to change a policy it considers crucial to policing city neighborhoods.
“We need people to be confident in Houston police officers and have them step forward to report crime, and be willing to step forward as witnesses,â€

Another corrupt drug cartel owned p.o.s waste of tax dollars, space and oxygen posing as a mayor who values cheap labor and votes more than the welfare and safety of his police department and citizens.

[quote]In Fort Worth, Sgt. Pedro Criado said he learned as a patrol officer that immigrants frequently balked at telling police they witnessed a crime. “We want people to come forward and have trust in the police department.â€

265 comments at chron website on this story

Quote from story and bigtex:

"Frank Michel, a spokesman for Mayor Bill White, said the administration has no plans to change a policy it considers crucial to policing city neighborhoods.

“'We need people to be confident in Houston police officers and have them step forward to report crime, and be willing to step forward as witnesses,' Michel said."

And the safety of the officers be damned! And who is going to support their families if they are injured or killed while making sure that the illegal aliens overrunning Houston "have confidence" in them and do not "fear being deported"! Evidently the "fear of being deported" exceeds all other fears, including being injured or killed in the line of duty!