Posted on 12/23/2007 11:11:52 AM PST by reaganaut1
PHOENIX (AP) -- Police in suburban Scottsdale have begun routinely asking for proof of citizenship from every suspect they arrest and turning those who are in this country illegally over to federal immigration officials.
The procedure was started Oct. 15, a result of the September killing of Phoenix police officer Nick Erfle by an illegal immigrant, Erik Jovani Martinez.
Scottsdale police had arrested Martinez on a misdemeanor charge 16 months earlier but they released him then because they didn't know he was an illegal immigrant who had been twice deported.
Erfle's killing ''caused us to look at what were asking suspects,'' Scottsdale police Sgt. Mark Clark said. ''If we arrest someone and then find that we called ICE (Customs and Immigration Enforcement) and they put a hold on them, then we know they have been deported and are back again.''
Martinez was later killed by police after he stole a car and took a hostage, authorities said.
Now police in the affluent suburb ask every suspect about their citizenship, have ICE agents pick up those who are in this country illegally, and keep a database of possible illegal immigrants in case they turn up again.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Good.
I have a real problem having to prove I’m not guilty -vs- the assumption of innocence until proven guilty.
I hope the the federal immigration officials don't say, "Hey, amigo -- follow this blue line, it will take you to the back door. It opens on an alley, when you get out of the alley, take a left. See ya later."
Good news. Too bad it took a murder of an LEO by an illegal to get moving on this.
Yep the ACLU wont be happy...they are never happy with law enforcement
It should be SOP everywhere
Since it’s not a crime to not be an American citizen, what’s the problem?
What a novel idea, has anyone ever thought of doing this before?
After a spate of bad cop stories over the last few weeks, this is like a breath of fresh air. God bless the Phoenix police department.
“The procedure was started Oct. 15, a result of the September killing of Phoenix police officer Nick Erfle by an illegal immigrant, Erik Jovani Martinez.’
Took that to implement ,I’m the dirt that the ladder is on, crying shame....
err Scottsdale PD.
Now this has bothered me for a long time. I can understand that police will place above normal attempts at going after a cop killer. What I can’t understand is them doing anything less for the average citizen.
There was a time when looking at a suspect’s driver’s license was sufficient to establish his legal status...if he was illegal, he simply wouldn’t
have one.
May this become SOP throughout the land.
I have a real problem with illegal aliens killing police officers
Very good B-Cause, I second that.
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