Anaheim Police Request Ignites Council Meeting

The police union’s controversial request that the federal government allow officers to arrest illegal immigrants triggered an emotional battle at the City Council meeting Tuesday night between supporters of a crackdown and those who fear a loss of civil liberty.

“How are you going to identify an illegal immigrant?” asked Connie Rodriguez, a 52-year-old Anaheim resident, who was accompanied by about a dozen members of the city’s Jeffrey-Lynne neighborhood. “Is it because of their skin color? I hope not. Someone is going to be in big trouble if they stop and question me.”

But Bruce Bottolsson, president of the Anaheim Police Assn., said, “This is not primarily a Hispanic issue; it’s a law issue.” Law enforcement officers, he said, “want the powers police had 20 years ago. We’re asking for the change to pick these people up again.”

The 380-member union asked the City Council to support its recent resolution calling on the federal government to permit local, county and state law enforcement agencies to arrest suspected illegal immigrants. The resolution also calls for illegal immigration to become a felony offense.

“We are willing to step out and say that we have to look at this problem honestly,” Officer Harald Martin said. “We are trying to protect the lives and property of legal and lawful residents regardless of who they are and where they come from.”

The police association began its public campaign last fall after a police officer was seriously wounded in a struggle with an illegal immigrant. Last week, another illegal immigrant fired shots at two officers, one of whom was injured as he jumped for cover.

But the idea brought strong words of warning from Amin David, a prominent Latino rights activist. David said it would “wreak havoc” in the community.

“They are asking for these broad powers that are the duties of the federal government,” David said. “It will destroy all kinds of police-community relations that have been built over the years. The officer who comes to investigate a call will be wearing half a police uniform and half an INS agent uniform.”

Martin said the police association is prepared for the criticism but remains undaunted.

“I believe that what we are doing is what” other departments want to do, “but are afraid of being called a racist,” he said. “If people want to throw mud at us, that’s fine, but it’s not going to stick because it’s not true.”

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Councilman Lou Lopez, who is an Anaheim police officer, said he probably would support the police association’s efforts but that he was concerned about liability to the city.

“We need to make sure people’s rights aren’t being taken away,” Lopez said. “This could have some real ramifications for the city if we arrest someone and they are here legally. It opens up the possibility for a lot of lawsuits.”

Rodriguez concurred and said the program would promote racism and discrimination.

“We believe there is racism in the Police Department that is growing more and more,” she said.

The council took no action, but Councilman Bob Zemel said he would ask his colleagues to discuss the matter in the future.

Zemel was the leading proponent of a program that placed Immigration and Naturalization Service officers in the City Jail to determine which arrestees were in the country illegally. But he was careful to place some distance between that program and the police resolution.

“There should be no crossover between the two issues,” Zemel said. “I would be supportive of discussing the issue, but they are in no way tied together.”

The 60-day pilot program, which was established at the urging of the police union, ended last month. But the agents remain, and the future of the program is being pondered. Its fate rests largely on the immigration reform bill being considered by federal lawmakers.

The city is awaiting the findings of the INS officers stationed at the Anaheim jail.