Beck will reach out to Latinos

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Charlie Beck, the mayor’s nominee to head the Los Angeles Police Department, told Hoy Newspaper he will make a particular effort to reach out to Latinos through community meetings and by conducting news conferences and any other police function in English and Spanish.

“I need to get the concerns of all the communities in Los Angeles and some communities have more problem communicating with me than others,” Beck said.

He will also maintain Special Order 40, which prevents LAPD officers from inquiring about people’s immigration status.

“Special Order 40 is part of the core values of LAPD and that will continue as is,” noted Beck, who has also designated Michoacan, Mexico-born captain Rigo Romero to be his Special Agent for the Latino Community.

“Rigo is not just a Spanish speaker. Rigo’s personal history ties him deeply to the immigrant community. He and I are going to work very closely making sure that the police message goes out just as clearly in Spanish as it does in English,” Beck said.

“Rigo knows me, he knows my philosophy. He can tell you what it is that I think because he and I have that kind of relationship,” he said.

-- Francisco Castro/Hoy

To read the full story in Spanish, visit http://www.vivelohoy.com/losangeles