Police Prepare For Immigration Enforcement Training
How Will Local Police Departments Prepare?
Elizabeth Erwin
Reporter, KPHO.com

POSTED: 2:31 pm MST April 26, 2010
UPDATED: 2:58 pm MST April 26, 2010

PHOENIX -- Now that the immigration bill has been signed into law, local police departments need to figure out how to make sure their officers can do the job.

Gov. Jan Brewer signed an executive order requiring local officers to learn how to enforce the new rules without racial profiling.

CBS 5 wanted to know how they plan to make sure their officers play fair.

It might be new to local police departments, but it's something Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio said he's been doing for years: seeking out suspected illegal immigrants, and if they are here illegally, throwing them behind bars.

"We've been enforcing the state and federal immigration laws for almost three years," said Arpaio.

But how does Arpaio train his 900 deputies to do the job?

"(We train) about diversity, cultural awareness, how to enforce the laws which they already know, and a quick course on the federal and state immigration laws and now we'll throw in the latest law," Arpaio said.

CBS 5 wanted to know the details. What will people in Arizona be asked if they're stopped?

"We're going to ask you for your drivers license, we're going to ask you your date of birth, we're going to ask where you were born," said Arpaio.

And the sheriff said if your answers lead his deputies to suspect you aren't here legally, they'll take you to jail.

But what about local police departments? Immigration enforcement is brand new to them.

"We have an oath we took and we will in fact enforce them," said Eloy Police Chief Bill Pittman.

"We're not part of this whole debate of what happens years down the road or next year or whatever with immigration reform. We're enforcement officers," added Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu.

Arpaio said he's not sure local departments will enforce the new rules.

"I would almost guess they'll just turn them over to ICE instead of just booking them into jail on a misdemeanor," said Arpaio.

CBS 5 ran Arpaio's comments by the local police union. Representatives acknowledged some departments have put up resistance to the new law, but expect everyone will enforce the law when it comes down to it.

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