L.A. police union backs changes to policy on asking gang members about legal status

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-specialorder19apr19,0,7674817.story

The president of the group says a councilman's plan to amend Special Order 40 is 'a common-sense approach.'
By Joel Rubin, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
April 19, 2008

The union representing rank-and-file Los Angeles police officers Friday announced its support for a controversial campaign to make it easier for officers to question gang members about whether they are in the country legally.

Last week, City Councilman Dennis Zine introduced a motion that would require Los Angeles Police Department officers to check the immigration status of a gang member suspected of being in the country illegally -- even if the suspect is not under arrest.

The proposal quickly came under fire from Police Chief William J. Bratton, who said it was tantamount to "racial profiling." He staunchly defended the department's long-standing policy on when officers can inquire about a person's immigration status -- called Special Order 40 -- and rejected the notion that it is too restrictive.

Now, Tim Sands, president of the Police Protective League, has sided with Zine, calling the councilman's idea "a common-sense approach."

The union "felt strongly that this is another tool that our officers could use to take violent people off the street and put them away," Sands said.

FULL story at link.

[muntrv]

1. Memo to Zine and Sands: Not all gang members are foreigners. Most of them

are actually home grown.

[cultfree]

2. It IS racial profiling... plain and simple.