Posted on 05/29/2003 5:36:24 AM PDT by Theodore R.
Heated meeting follows allegations of racial bias JOHN REYNOLDS AVALANCHE-JOURNAL
MULESHOE — The city manager and police chief have been asked to come up with a plan of action addressing allegations of racism within two months, according to one city councilman.
Councilman Juan Chavez said Police Chief Don Carter and City Manager David Brunson agreed to the plan Wednesday night during a heated executive session.
The Muleshoe City Council went into closed session with Carter and Brunson to discuss charges of racial profiling and arbitrary actions by the police department.
Raised voices could be heard clearly through the double doors to the council chamber. After meeting for about two hours, the council reconvened in open session. The council took no specific action following the closed session.
Both Chavez and Mayor Victor Leal described the discussions as "healthy."
"Did we have healthy debate? Absolutely," said Leal. "Are we still friendly and united as a council? Absolutely."
Chavez added, "I think now we've got a commitment from the city manager and chief to get a plan. I think we all agree there's a problem" that needs to be addressed.
Tensions have been simmering over the past few years over allegations of arbitrary actions of an overzealous police force. Critics of Muleshoe Police Department allege officers have arrested, beaten or threatened citizens because of personal vendettas or because of race.
"Absolutely no one will argue there's a perception of problems with the police," Leal said. "Whether real or perceived, we have a chief quite capable and willing to address the concerns of the council."
Chavez has alleged racial profiling by officers who he says parked in front of a Catholic church and a Veterans of Foreign Wars hall, both frequented primarily by Hispanics.
Leal countered those charges Wednesday night by saying Chavez had agreed to an ordinance lowering the speed limit in the area around the church. Leal said any increased police patrolling was attributable to the new ordinance, not because of racial profiling.
He pointed to the fact that 24 citations were issued near the Catholic church over 10-month period, hardly a concerted police crackdown, he said. Only six tickets were written on a Sunday, Leal said.
jreynolds@lubbockonline.com 766-8725
Racial profiling data submitted to the state shows that of the 808 occasions the police department initiated contact with a citizen in 2002, 471 of those citizens, or 58.3 percent, were Hispanic.
According to the 2000 census, 53.3 percent of Muleshoe citizens are Hispanic.
I used to date a girl who was from Levelland and she had relatives in Muleshoe. I remember going to a drive-thru restaurant and getting a strawberry-sour slush or something like that.
The PC cooks will not rest until zero percent of traffic stops involve hispanics or blacks. I live in an area plagued with illegals. They drive without insurance and usually have no license. They also have a greater than normal tendency to get slobbering drunk and crash. A dear friend of mine was recently killed in a head-on with a drunk wetback. As far as I'm concerned, if they don't like a little attention from the cops, they should go the hell back home.
People who throw around accusations of 'racist' should really do their homework. Bigotry might fit better.
In several decades of driving around different parts of this nation I can say that I have never been given a citation that was not earned. I have found more leniancy than enforcment.
I'm surprised it has an airport.
If only more cops had the 'nads of those in Muleshoe...
Wanna bet? Been there, done that, no T-shirt.
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