Thread: Waukegan Il, illegal claiming he was 'profiled'

Residents gather to protest racial profiling

July 31, 2007
BY NICHOLAS ALAJAKIS nalajakis@scn1.com
WAUKEGAN -- Black and Hispanic residents gathered at the City Hall Monday afternoon to object to what they say is racial profiling by the city's police department.

Waukegan police have been profiling minorities in the city for too long, said Chris Blanks, with the Blacks Abolition Movement for the Mind.

» Click to enlarge image

Gustavo Flores (right) and others gathered at Waukegan City Hall Monday. Flores claims he was racially profiled by the Waukegan police.
(Andre J. Jackson/News-Sun)
"We've seen them abuse and misuse their power," Blanks told a small crowd that assembled between City Hall and the police department.

The assembly was triggered by a July 16 arrest of Waukegan resident Gustavo Flores, who claims he was stopped by police because of the color of his skin.

Flores, 36, a nine-year resident of the city, who is in the country illegally, was pulling in the CVS pharmacy parking lot at the intersection of Washington Street and Green Bay Road around 10 a.m. that day, when an officer stopped him to talk.

The officer, later identified as John Fong, asked him if the Dodge Caravan he stepped out of was his, Flores said. After telling the officer it was, Fong told him he was going to arrest him, Flores told the crowd.

The reason for approaching him, say Waukegan police, is because officers were checking license plates on the road, and Flores' registration showed he had a warrant for his arrest, and no valid license.

"The case isn't racial profiling, it's just good police work," said Waukegan Deputy Chief Mark McCormick. "It's standard police work. Every department does it."

Flores said he understands that the computer showed a 2003 warrant for failure to appear for not having insurance, but he thinks that the only reason his license plate was run though the system in the first place, was because he's Hispanic.

"If I'm not this color, I would not be stopped," Flores said. "These officers will do anything to pull you over."

Flores' situation is not unique Blanks said. BAMM has heard from a number of people who relate similar stories. And in recent weeks, his organization has collected 1,100 signatures from Waukegan residents who claim they've been profiled at least once from the city's officers.

"This is just the iceberg," Blanks said.


http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/news ... S1.article

Flores said he understands that the computer showed a 2003 warrant for failure to appear for not having insurance, but he thinks that the only reason his license plate was run though the system in the first place, was because he's Hispanic.

"If I'm not this color, I would not be stopped," Flores said. "These officers will do anything to pull you over."

...what an f'-ing idiot. Let's see...hmmmmmmmm...he's an illegal alien driving a car with no insurance, has no license and has a warrant out for his arrest...and he claims he was racially profiled. Are you f'-ing kidding me???????????????? I want ALL illegals out of my country NOW. No exceptions, no discussion, no debate, no delay. Deport ALL illegal aliens now!

You did the crime, now do the time and stop looking for excuses.

You beat me to it blessusa! Quite an article eh?!

For the record Chris Blank is an African American gentleman who goes to all of the council meetings. I've heard him speak, he is a very angry guy. That's all we need -for these two to team up.

So ahhh how does it work now...he's admitting he's illegal. Can the city now call in ICE?

BlessUsa and I will follow this story!

I sure hope the mayor,police chief and city councl don.t show any weakness to these jerks,if they do it will only fan the flames.

Stay Strong Waukeegan Officials !!!

http://cbs2chicago.com/video

Here's video on the press conference!! Looks like Ms. Carrasco is front and center again. She has been a thorn in the cities side, sued them, for many years...

Originally Posted by fedupinwaukegan

You beat me to it blessusa! Quite an article eh?!

BlessUsa and I will follow this story!

Gotta get up a little bit earlier Fedup!!

Hmmm I was pulled over a few months ago for a suspended liscense (oops forgot about the emmision test!) I wonder if I should ask to sign that petition as I feel that I was 'profiled' as a white woman. :P

I'm so sick of this "targeting" business. I'm waiting to see what happens here with the noise ordinance thing. Major boom-box problem and people have been complaining for a very long about it. Now they're going to enforce the law. They have a cop sitting behind a fence with a decimal reader and somehow he tells officers the plate number and they stop him further up the road and first warn them, second ticket them, third time empound the car and bigger fine. They got 186. I'm sure that's going to result in "profiling" as well. I mean it has to be loud at the length of a football field away. Now this guy can't see or even knows what color the person is driving the car......they are going by decimal readings. But since "generally" hispanic and blacks are the ones pounding the music......I'm sure it's going to seen as profiling. Caught this one guy 3 different times in totally different parts of the city....

I mean when you scream to be noticed.....blatently ignor laws.....how are you not to notice?