http://www.nbc17.com/news/6004130/detail.html

Highway Patrol Reaches Out To Latino Drivers

POSTED: 2:38 pm EST January 11, 2006
UPDATED: 2:46 pm EST January 11, 2006

RALEIGH, N.C. -- A bilingual state trooper is trying to bridge the gap between the North Carolina Highway Patrol and Hispanic drivers.

Trooper Jorge Brewer, the Highway Patrol's first Hispanic liaison, is charged with reaching out to Latino groups statewide, such as El Pueblo in the Triangle.

"Everyone wants people to abide by the laws, but if you don't teach them, then they don't know," said Tony Asion, of El Pueblo.

Although more troopers are learning Spanish, the language barrier remains a problem for law enforcement, and many Hispanic drivers are unaware of license rules and how to protect young passengers, Brewer said.

"Most of our people come from countries where police abuse their power, and they expect that to happen here. They're intimidated, and when you add that to the language barrier, we have problems," he said.

Brewer, a 10-year veteran of the Highway Patrol who also worked for the Raleigh Police Department for three years, said his first priority is educating Hispanic drivers about drunken driving laws.

"Hispanics are dying at a disproportionate rate on our highways. We've got to do something about that," he said.

El Pueblo is working with the Highway Patrol and the Mexican consulate on an advertising campaign to raise awareness about drunken driving among Hispanic motorists.

"We have drinking and driving laws, but they aren't really enforced and a lot of people get away with it and don't see a problem with drinking and driving," said Consuela Ornelas, deputy consul of Mexico.