AMERICAN POLICE BEAT: MAY 2017 31 I f you’re an immigra- tion hard-liner you probably don’t have a problem with fed- eral agents imper- sonating police officers to gain entry to residences or businesses to round up undocumented or “illegal” immigrants. If you’re an elected of- ficial that answers to voters and taxpayers, however, it’s a kind of a big deal. In Connecticut, city of- ficials in Hartford are say- ing they believe two agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement im- personated local officers when they tried to serve a warrant for a woman in Connecticut. Mayor Luke Bronin and Chief James Rovella said the agents had “no visible indication of their affiliation with ICE” and tried to de- tain the woman in the lobby of the city’s Public Safety Complex. Both federal employees were wearing clothes that said “POLICE” and nothing else. This is obviously a recipe for disaster and generally the reason that law enforcement personnel, unless they’re working undercover, wear the insignia of the agency they work for. “When FBI shows up, their apparel says FBI. When DEA shows up, it says DEA,” Bronin said. “In this case, you have ICE agents wearing a jacket that says ‘POLICE’ with no other visible identification.” ICE personnel misrepre- senting themselves as po- lice officers is a source of tremendous contention and debate. For the “what part of ille- gal don’t you understand?” set, there’s almost nothing that the feds shouldn’t be allowed to do that would impede the roundups. If you’re trying to do com- munity policing, develop sources and informants and are concerned that people trust the local cops enough to report crimes, it’s a differ- ent story. “Our police officers have worked hard to build that trust and for ICE agents to present themselves as local police will undermine the hard work our department has done. We follow all state and federal laws, and we will partner with anyone to help get violent criminals off our streets. However, federal agents should not be creat- ing the impression that they are local police,” Mayor Bronin said in a statement. Interestingly, many of the supporters of the immi- gration crackdown are the same people that frequently express alarm at the idea of nationalizing local law enforcement for other pur- poses. But others say that it’s criti- cally important that people know who they’re dealing with and talking to. “They should represent ICE and not police because these are two different agen- cies,” community activist Ester Sanches-Naet said. “ICE is a federal govern- ment agency and police are municipal. The laws are so different.” “ICE Agents should not identify as local police as it is misleading and can damage the important relationship with our local communi- ties,” Rovella said. ICE still pretending to be cops to gain trust Kenneth Bettis Allen Brandt Leander Frank David Glasser Darrin Reed Robert Barker William Cooper Lisa Mauldin Scott Ballantyne Paul Carlisle Jonathan De Guzman Jack Hopkins Michael Katherman Alfonso Lopez Rod Lucas Steven Owen Nathan Taylor Jose Vega Dennis Wallace Lesley Zerebny Nathan Carrigan Cody Donahue Derek Geer Sebastain Diana John Kotfila Jr. Henry McAleenan Jr. Eric Oliver Jorge Ramos Jorge Sanchez Michael Williams Gregory Barney Anthony Freeman DaJhaun Gaitors Justin Rouse Daryl Smallwood Nicholas Smarr Jody Smith Timothy Smith Patrick Sondron Justin White James Brockmeyer Adam Conrad Scot Fitzgerald Jason Gallero Carl Koontz Anthony Beminio David Bowen Susan Farrell Adam Liddle Justin Martin Shawn Miller Carlos Puente-Morales Brandon Collins Michael Kern Brad Lancaster Robert Melton Charles Howley Shannon Brown David Elahi Bradford Garafola Sr. Matthew Gerald Natasha Hunter Montrell Jackson Jude Lewis David Michel Jr. Derrick Mingo Jacai Colson Patrick Dailey Mark Logsdon Thomas Clardy Ronald Tarentino Jr. Benjamin Voss Myron Jarrett Ronald Kienzle Kevin Miller Collin Rose Kenneth Steil Michael Winter Joseph Zangaro James Tartt Paul Clark Blake Snyder Ronald Strittmatter Gregory Hamill Sean Cullen William Fearon Nikeelan Semmon Frankie Williams Jose Chavez Clint Corvinus Ryan Thomas Sandra Adrain James Albanese Alex Baez Ronald BeckerJr. Gerard Beyrodt Frank Bolusi Rebecca Buck Madeline Carl John Cortazzo Angel Creagh Kevin Czartoryski Garrett Danza Anthony DeJesus Corey Diaz Renee Dunbar Robert Ehmer Luis Fernandez Paul Ferrara Edward Ferraro Donald Feser Stuart Fishkin Barry Galfano Fred Ghussin Edward Gilpin John Goggin James Guida Claire Hanrahan Kevin Hawkins Robert Helmke Michael Henry Alick Herrmann William Holfester Richard Holland Steven Hom Richard Jakubowsky John Kristoffersen Frank Macri Anthony Maggiore David Mahmoud John Marshall Vito Mauro Gary Mausberg Jacqueline McCarthy Michael McHugh Brian Mohamed Michael Morales Robert Nicosia Carlos Ocasio Edwin Ortiz Robert Oswain Jr. Patrice Ott Angelo Peluso Jr. Covel Pierce Francis Pitone Timothy Pratt Gerald Rex Roberto Rivera Michael Ryan Stephen Scalza Joseph Seabrook Christopher Strucker Paul Stuewer Martin Tom Paul Tuozzolo Perry Villani Robert Williamson Richard Winter Kerry Winters Sr. George Wong Robert Zane Jr. Timothy Brackeen John Isenhour Jason Moszer Aaron Christian Thomas Cottrell Jr. Sean Johnson Steven Smith Kenneth Velez Trey Pritchard Jason Goodding Scott Bashioum Walter DeWitt III Kristopher Moules Landon Weaver Edward Wehe III Allen Jacobs Sean Allred De'Greaun Frazier Zachary Larnerd Kenny Moats Verdell Smith Sr. Martin Sturgill II Amir Abdul-Khaliq Lorne Ahrens Stacey Baumgartner Endy Ekpanya David Hofer Mari Johnson Michael Krol Kenneth Maltby Benjamin Marconi Calvin McCullers Jr. Jeffrey Nichols David Ortiz Robert Ransom Justin Scherlen Michael Smith Kenneth Starrs Brent Thompson Patricio Zamarripa Marco Zarate Douglas Barney II Cody Brotherson Eric Ellsworth Chad Dermyer Ashley Guindon Harvey Snook R. Jake Gutierrez III Eugene Crum Joseph Portaro Dan Glaze Jr. Adam Hartwig Michael Ventura Manuel Alvarez Jose Barraza Brian Beliso Patrick Carothers Steven Carr William Craig David Gomez Jerry Jobe J. Scott McGuire Robert Roth Kcey Ruiz Nathan Sartain Javier Vega Jr. Paul Wilson Wesley Yoo Siegfred Mortera Luis Melendez-Maldonado Edwin Pabon- Robles Waldemar Rivera-Santiago Victor Rosado-Rosa R R E E E E E E ER R R R R R R R R R R R R RE E E E E E P P P P P S S S S S S S S S R R R E E E E E B B B B B S S S S S ES ES E ES R R R R R R R R R R R R B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B R S B R