Letter to the editor

Elizabeth Davis
108 North 40th Street
Phoenix, AZ 85034

Dear Judi Villa and Casey Newton:

After reading your article “Phoenix chief at odds with Gordon” is a well informed article I do not think you should have added “Harris: chasing migrants would drain resources.” In one article you think it’s a good idea that migrants should call the police if they see suspects activity but in the next article you talk about arresting them. To me if I was a migrant I would not call the police if I read this article. I do agree with Mayor Phil Gordon on some aspects of Operations Order 1.4, which was mentioned in the article. I think that some Police officers may racially profile some communities like the Hispanic community over any other community. Also, if the police do deicide to use Operations Order 1.4, then no “illegal immigrant” will use the police department.
In the article you mention Officer Nick Erfle. Yes, the person who shot the officer was here undocumented but I do not believe Harris should say that all illegal immigrants will kill police officers. Some truly want to come to this county to make a better life for them and their families. At one moment of time we all came here illegally. They should not pigeon hold every person that comes to America as being illegal.
As I continue to read the article I find it very informative of how Phoenix Police Department is becoming different from all other Police Departments. The article mentions Operations Order 1.4 once again. The article continues to discuss how Tucson police are asking what people’s immigration status is. I think that we do need to crack down on illegal immigration but we do not need to pull over random cars that they suspect to be illegal. Officer Joanna Abad was very insightful when saying that they cannot asked anyone to talk about a murder they saw if they think they will be deported. He also said that asking someone about there status is not doing there job.
When reading about immigrant being arrested I think I became more aware of the police departments dilemma with immigration. What kind of choice do you make; either put them on a bus and take them to Mexico or put them in jail? If you take them back to the county their from there’s the possibility they make come back or you put them in jail and valuable tax money is being spent on them that could be going to schools, etc.

Sincerely,
Elizabeth Davis