New sheriff in town

http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sectio ... ryID=65409
Originally published September 24, 2007

Just nine months into his first term, Sheriff Chuck Jenkins has made some bold moves that have garnered not only headlines, but support from the populace.

That is what he was elected to do, and he should be commended for taking swift and decisive action on issues he is passionate about.

First he decided that moonlighting deputies couldn't use their cars and uniforms in their work as private security guards. That's a fiscal and personnel problem, he says.

Now he's pursuing a partnership with the federal government to ship out illegals arrested or convicted of a crime. Jenkins meets with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials today to find out if Frederick County can be part of the federally funded program. Already, the sheriff is making money for the county by housing illegals who commit federal crimes until ICE picks them up. So far he's billed the feds over $180,000, most of it pure profit.

While on the surface the sheriff's latest move looks like a win-win -- the county rids itself of illegal aliens who wind up in the criminal justice system, and related costs will mostly be offset by the detention program. But there are some legitimate concerns.

There could be court challenges if someone is arrested and not convicted; the sheriff says bring it on. It's a federal program allowed by law. OK, but there's also a danger of the practice devolving into racial profiling. Jenkins doesn't believe it will. The training will give deputies the tools they need without resorting to profiling, he says.

Then there's the position taken by several law enforcement agencies around the country: The program will foster a lack of cooperation from the illegal population when it comes to reporting crimes.

The sheriff's answer is that the illegal population already distrusts police, so he considers it a wash. He might consider, instead, offering some level of immunity to illegals who help police solve crimes to offset that. There's already a law on the books that allows an illegal alien who witnesses a crime to remain here as a criminal witness.

If the sheriff can effectively combat those concerns, then full speed ahead -- if the feds stop throwing up obstacles, that is.

And that's another thing. The program the sheriff wants to enlist in has been in effect since 1996, but has been, as Jenkins says, "a little known secret." After 10 plus years, only 26 cities are on board, none in Maryland. Why?

Jenkins wants an answer to that, too. He applied for the program back in March. His application has been stalled, he was told, because of budgetary constraints. But according to a recent article in Cybercast News Service, the feds are sitting on $50 million of unused funds.

Jenkins believes the feds are dragging their feet because of politics. That's unacceptable.

The next step is citizen outcry, he says. If the feds don't give him the nod, Jenkins is counting on his constituents to be as frustrated as he is and to let their congressman and senators know it.

Despite some barriers, Jenkins' proposal is more feasible in both concept and execution than the current debate at Winchester Hall over denying public services to illegal immigrants, including education. Commissioner Charles Jenkins' recent proposal is likely, as Delegate Rick Weldon told The Gazette, "dead on arrival." The county would be better off to dig deeper over the next year to get real numbers on illegals enrolled in state and county services before jumping into a pricey legal action.

At least the sheriff has law on his side on this one.


kheerbrandt@yahoo.com