Making Crime fighting Political? When Doing the Right Thing Brings Political Pressure

The San Gabriel Police Chief, in Consultation of the City Manager and City Attorney, Signed a Memorandum of Understanding with I.C.E to Cooperate in Criminal Investigations

In today's hyper-political atmosphere, things that are routine become politicized. A routine action by a police chief becomes subject to political second-guessing and extreme scrutiny. The very same M.O.U. that if it was signed 18 months ago, as highlighted by this video would have gone unnoticed, is now the somehow not valid. At the very least a strictly law enforcement action is used to try to score political points.

Personally, I think it is a sad state of affairs when a very respected Police Chief has to politically justify his crime enforcement actions. Here is a direct quote form Chief Gene Harris:

“We are not involved in Immigration Enforcement and our involvement is strictly with the Homeland Security Component as it relates to crimes that effect our community. We will however engage in discussion at future Council and other meetings regarding the MOU.”

The sad part is that Pasadena had already signed a similar M.O.U., but the City Manager showed cowardice under political pressure. He made any possible excuse to get out of its agreement. Keep in mind the term of these M.O.U's do not apply to immigration enforcement in any way, ONLY for criminal investigations and enforcements.

So far the City of San Gabriel, as a result the M.O.U. has broken four major cases:

1. Case directly related to the City of San Gabriel involving a passport intercept where 30 Chinese passports were intercepted via packing service. These were Chinese issued passports for 30 under aged females who are suspected to be here or on their way here, to be sold or otherwise placed into illegal indentured servitude. Investigation is ongoing.

2. Case involving San Gabriel, Alhambra, and Monterey Park areas where informants are being worked re: fraudulent passports and driver’s license materials to include bogus cards, and passport material, as well as the machinery and tools to create forged documents. Investigation is ongoing

3. Case involving San Gabriel and Monterey Park re: the intercept of a large shipment of uncut Heroin destined for locations in San Gabriel and Monterey Park. The shipments have international origins and are suspected to involve local prostitution rings. December, 4 persons have been arrested. None were immigrants.

4. Case involving an SGV area Cartel safe house used for trafficking of humans, drugs, and currency. Investigation is ongoing.

I would question any resident that thinks San Gabriel should not "cooperate" with ICE to investigate and stop such crimes. As a City Council Member, I will do my best to educate the public on what the M.O.U. really is and why it is vital to keep in place. I am sure I will be called a bigot and a racist for wanting to prevent crime. I have been called such things in the past by those that disagree with me, and I am sure I will be again. I have thick skin and wouldn't do this if I didn't. I will fight for what is right.

When asked about where cases come from (i.e. are they immigration driven), he responded:

“Cases are generated by various means much the way local cases originate. Some originate from informants at local, state, and federal levels and are evaluated to determine suitability for task force involvement. Others come from local investigations that exceed the operational capabilities of the local agencies and are subsequently adopted at the federal level. This includes San Gabriel originated investigations. The cases are not given directly to the local agency by HSI, but more accurately, are evaluated by the task force to determine its ability or desire to pursue. Additionally, our participation in the task force does yield asset forfeiture proceeds but only in cases within which we are directly involved.”

Sorry for such a long post, but I hope you read it and understand why I feel it necessary to explain the M.O.U to the public. Let's try not to politicize good police work.