Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40AMERICAN POLICE BEAT: MARCH 2017 17 ERIC SIDDALL JIM GEETING OPINION/EDITORIAL A prosecutor’sjob is to seek justice for all people who are victims of crime, what- ever their legal status in this country. To accomplish this goal, there needs to be cooperation from victims and witnesses, willing to both initially tell the police what they observed and then willing to testify in court. However, people will not cooperate when they believe there is a personal downside for aiding law enforcement. In the cases of those who are in the country in violation of immigration laws, it may be the fear of deportation. In 1979, in recognition of this reality, the LAPD adopted Special Order 40, to “provide courteous and professional service to any person in Los Angeles while taking positive enforcement action against all individuals who commit criminal offens- es, whether they are citizens, permanent legal residents or undocumented aliens. Police services will be readily avail- able to all persons, including the undocumented alien, to ensure a safe and tranquil environment.” This policy of not using lo- cal and state law enforcement to question people about im- migration status is not about political correctness. It is about the effective adminis- tration of justice. There is no question that we should co- operate with the deportation of criminals once they have completed their sentence here in the United States. However, if undocumented residents feel they cannot go to the police without fear of deportation, then they will not report crime. This part of our community will become a natural target for criminal street gangs and human traffickers, confident that those they prey on will stay silent for fear that coop- eration will be a quick ticket to deportation. Those of us charged with enforcing the laws of Cali- fornia should be worried about the rhetoric that is now coming from Washington. The specter of using federal power to compel local law enforcement to act as agents of the federal government will hamper the ability to pros- ecute criminals and provide justice for crime victims. It is heartening to see that our state leaders, including Governor Brown, and local leaders, such as Mayor Gar- cetti, understand the need to stand against this misguided policy. They are defend- ing a policy that has served California well for the past 38 years. We will only be safe when all members of our commu- nity feel invested and know they can trust law enforce- ment. Cases are built on information gathered on the street. They are built upon witnesses reporting to of- ficers. They are built upon gaining cooperation from people who have legitimate fear of gang retaliation. Cases are won and justice is served when a witness, be- cause of trust and faith in law enforcement, steps into that witness box and in probably one of the more courageous and selfless acts, explains to a jury what happened on the night a stranger was murdered by a ruthless gang member. Only if local law enforce- ment remains focused on our jobs enforcing state and local laws can we ensure we will have a community ready and willing to step forward and help us make and prove our cases. Eric Siddall is vice president of the Association of Los Angeles Deputy District Attorneys, the collective bargaining agent rep- resenting nearly 1,000 DAs. I t’s important, fol- lowing several well- publicized but often half-baked and unin- formed narratives by self-appointed “experts” of police use-of-force includ- ing deadly force as well as the aftermath of a very unconventional and heated election, to stop and ap- preciate law enforcement and the crucial role they play controlling unrest and crowds all across the country. In the various demonstra- tions, riots and screaming matches, the police are standing there in silence and keeping a keen vigil. They have one and only one assignment — to keep folks from killing one an- other. To keep things peaceful and safe is not always so easy, especially with the emergence of very real and tangible “police hatred,” which is often the purpose of the demonstration. Imagine, the very people you want the world to “hate” along with you are the ones charged with keeping your gathering under control. A keg of dynamite just waiting for the fuse to be lit. When the public sees the police at these events, do they see a piece of govern- ment machinery or the pro- claimed enemy of innocent people? Or, do they see a guy or gal just trying to do an hon- orable job under impossible circumstances. Do they see someone’s spouse, mom or dad, someone’s son or daughter, somebody someone loves, needs, wor- ries about and wants to come home alive and un- injured? Or do they see the human being stand- ing there? A s p e o- ple watch a demonstrator scream at the police within inches of their face, or spit on them – do they ever wonder how we deal with this? Do they ask how the police can just stand there strong and silent as enraged people do everything they can to evoke a reaction? Do they just shake their head and think, “No way could I do that. I’d pop that guy right in the nose.” Crowd control is too simple a term to apply to these kinds of animated rioters. Crowd control is more like walking the aisles and removing the occa- sional drunk at a ball game or rock concert or directing pedestrian traffic and chan- neling them the way you want them to go. But controlling thousands and thousands of angry and emotional people, most only minimally informed about what it is they are demonstrating about, can be like herding cats. Crazy difficult at best, impossible at its worst. In today’s world of high- tech crowd cameras and phone video, identifying and prosecuting the real bad players in these crowds has become a possibility, but it is still a tough proposition. Due to fear and peer pressure, witness coopera- tion is almost nonexistent, especially in cases of anti- police groups. Sadly, as we have seen, police have been attacked and killed at these large events, so you can hope- fully understand the keyed up stance of police. Shields, body armor, helmets, batons and pep- per spray, among other tools, are deployed not be- cause it looks cool and intimidating but because they are often needed to prevent more severe, traumatic injury to officers and inno- cent citizens and to take en- raged and fighting suspects into custody as quickly as possible. Understand that when you see these events and the almost inevitable in- stances of forceful arrest or control, that those police officers, deputies, or state troopers do not in any way want to be there. The last thing they want- ed in a career of helping folks and saving lives, was to be abused, hated, spit on, puked on or bled upon. Or killed. We are Little League coaches, Sunday school teachers or Boy Scout lead- ers. We have to mow the lawn and make the house payment just like everyone else. We are nurturing and loving moms or dads with children to snuggle and cookies to bake for. We help them with their homework. We are regular men and women with bad breath, body odor and occasional heartburn. We give all we have, in- cluding our lives, to protect our citizens – and we do that even if they hate us. Jim Geeting is a retired Wyo- ming state trooper and author. HelivesinRockSprings.Hecan be reached at jwgeeting@live. com. This originally appeared at rocketminer.com. Understand that when you see these events and the almost inevitable instances of forceful arrest or control, that those police officers do not in any way want to be there. Cops give lesson in professionalism at protests Immigration focus good for the criminal element