2 Policeman Hailed for Effort to Get Wages That Day Laborers Are Owed

The job ended the way many do for day laborers: An employer failed to pay three men for their work.

But unlike most such incidents, this one took a twist no one expected. The laborers, in a highly unusual step, went to Garden Grove police, who tracked down the contractor. The officers assigned to the case continue to work on getting the men their lost wages.

On Wednesday, the officers, George Kaiser and Frank Caruso, received a special thanks from Los Amigos of Orange County, a Latino civic group, and from several public officials. They will also receive the Civil Rights Award of the International Assn. of Chiefs of Police in Toronto next month.

Kaiser, 36, is an 11-year veteran of the Garden Grove Police Department. Caruso, 39, worked in Garden Grove for 10 years before recently joining the Irvine Police Department.

“Just hearing about this story warms your heart,” said Assemblyman Lou Correa (D-Anaheim). “When you go out and see day laborers, they’re . . . living on the margins of our community. . . . No one cares about them. . . . But you dared to protect them.”

Labor officials said it was unheard of that a day laborer would complain to police about lost wages, even though contractors frequently do not pay them. Day laborers are often illegal immigrants who fear that their complaints will lead to deportation.

Garden Grove Police Chief Joe Polisar said the three workers, all illegal immigrants, were promised $50 a day when they were picked up at Euclid Street and Chapman Avenue in February. They were asked to build a brick wall for a subcontractor in a gated community and were paid for only one of four days’ work.

Polisar was impressed that the officers didn’t hesitate to help the workers; his department submitted their story to the police chiefs group.

“All too often we are criticized for abusing immigrants. There are bad police officers, but there are good officers who are often doing things just like this,” Polisar said.

He said the workers decided to come forward because the employer dared them to contact police to get their money.

The three men stood behind the police station for a while debating what to do. Finally, Caruso approached them in the parking lot. After investigating, the police took the matter to the Orange County district attorney, but there wasn’t sufficient evidence to show the contractor’s intent to bilk the men, Polisar said. The department has decided not to release the contractor’s name.

Nonetheless, police are checking into whether any government labor agencies can assist the men in getting paid, he said.

“We are very appreciative when we have other partners in the community trying to stop exploitation,” said Rick Eiden, director of organizing for the United Food and Commercial Workers Union.

Those giving the officers awards Wednesday were Correa, the county Board of Supervisors, the state attorney general’s office and state Sen. Joseph Dunn (D-Santa Ana).