Local Elections : PROPOSITION 187 : Law Enforcement Agents Aim to Head Off Violence : Election: Patrols will be beefed up today at schools and polling sites. Authorities hope to prevent serious problems.

Concerned about the potential for Election Day violence over Proposition 187, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department is putting more deputies on the streets today and has ordered extra patrols of school campuses and polling stations.

Representatives from every law enforcement agency in the county met with top sheriff’s officials Monday afternoon to coordinate response plans if there are widespread, chaotic demonstrations.

Sheriff Larry Carpenter said he is not expecting any problems, but has ordered the additional patrols and other precautions because of the passions surrounding the controversial ballot measure, which would deny education and most public services to illegal immigrants.

“Anytime you have a large group of people intensely interested in an emotional issue like Proposition 187, the potential for that group of people to lose their leadership and become violent or aggressive is certainly there,” he said.

Meanwhile, anti-187 protests continued Monday in Ventura and Oxnard, as Latino community leaders issued a plea for calm if the measure passes. A scattering of students waved signs and marched in Simi Valley and Moorpark. So far, all the protests in Ventura County have remained peaceful, except for a few incidents of fighting and vandalism.

One hundred to 150 students walked out of De Anza Middle School in Ventura on Monday afternoon, waving hand-painted placards and chanting “No on 187.”

By the time the students reached Main Street, the group had thinned to about 50 protesters.

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Just before they got to Ventura High School, an officer announced over a loudspeaker that they would be allowed to complete the demonstration inside the high school auditorium.

Inside, they continued their chants against the ballot measure and took turns voicing opposition to the initiative.

“We organized this walkout because we all believe the same thing,” said 12-year-old Becky Ramirez, a seventh-grader at De Anza, “that we should all have the same rights to have the same education.”

As the students in Ventura protested, 14 high school and college students on a hunger strike since Sunday in Oxnard’s Plaza Park held an anti-187 rally that drew about 25 people.

Despite the small showing at the rally, 19-year-old Adriana Jasso said the group, which includes a 9-year-old boy, is confident of the community’s backing.

“We understand our community is out there supporting our protest,” Jasso said. “We’re raising the consciousness of our people.”

El Concilio del Condado de Ventura, a countywide Latino advocacy group, issued a public statement Monday in an effort to diffuse the potential for violence after today’s vote.

“Students are particularly urged not to walk out of school on the days immediately following the election,” the statement said.

Said Marcos Vargas, the Concilio’s executive director: “Violence may be unavoidable in Los Angeles, but at least here locally community leaders and students can do everything they can to ensure there is no threat to public safety.”

Oxnard Mayor Manuel Lopez also urged calm, saying people should realize that even if the measure passes it will face a legal challenge in the courts.

“I would hope that if people understand that they would be calm about the situation,” he said. “It’s not over till it’s over.”

School officials in Ventura and Oxnard, where the largest student protests in the county have occurred, said they expect to hold classes on Wednesday regardless of whether Proposition 187 passes.

Oxnard Supt. Bill Studt said he does not expect any problems, but has asked all part-time campus supervisors to work an extra two hours Wednesday.

“Our intent is to have school that day and get on with the educational program,” he said.

And in Ventura, high school and middle school principals will meet this morning with Ventura police officers to plan strategies for dealing with potential protests on Wednesday.

“I really don’t have any idea if there will be any kind of a backlash if it passes,” said Supt. Joseph Spirito. “We just want to make sure we contain it and give the kids an opportunity to discuss (the issues involved with Proposition 187.)”

Law enforcement officials said they will take a similar approach in dealing with demonstrations.

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Carpenter said deputies will intercede only to protect the First Amendment rights of protesters or the safety of other citizens.

“We are very much in the role of peacekeeper,” he said.

In addition to extra patrols, Carpenter said, deputies in the mounted patrol unit will be “immediately available,” as will helicopters for aerial surveillance.

Responses to any disturbances will be monitored from a command center in the basement of the Sheriff’s Department.

In Oxnard, police say they will follow the same contingency plan they have operated under for the past three weeks.

Assistant Chief Stan Myers said regular patrols will not be increased today, though extra officers will be called in as needed. One officer is already assigned to each high school campus as part of a school safety program, he said.

And in Ventura, a handful of plainclothes detectives have been ordered to report for duty in their uniforms today.

“They’re just standing by in case we need them,” said Lt. Pat Miller.

Times staff writer Fred Alvarez and correspondent Maia Davis contributed to this story.