San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott made it clear at Wednesday’s Police Commission meeting that his officers will not cooperate with federal immigration agents during raids that are expected soon in Northern California.
“Our instructions have been clear in terms of our policies … SFPD will not assist in any federal immigration enforcement,” he said. “That’s the message we’re putting forward to make sure all our members understand our policies in the spirit of the laws here in our city.”
On Wednesday, the Chronicle reported that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, known as ICE, is planning to arrest some 1,500 undocumented immigrants in San Francisco and other Northern California cities.
It’s unclear when, exactly, the raids will happen.
Commissioner Petra DeJesus initially broached the topic.
“It’s putting a lot of fear in the community,” she said, asking Scott how he is preparing for the raids. “How do we calm the community?”
“It’s pretty clear — I don’t know how else to say it — we will not assist,” he said.
DeJesus also raised the issue of ICE agents wearing jackets that say “police” when they are not certified peace officers in the state of California. “If they’re not POST certified, they should not be calling themselves ‘police;’ they’re federal agents,” she said.
She wants the city to send a cease-and-desist letter to the immigration agency telling its officers not to wear clothing that says “police.” Instead, they should wear jackets that say “federal agent,” she said.
DeJesus’s point was supported by Commision President Julius Turman and Vice President Thomas Mazzucco.
“Right now, everyone’s been struggling for the last year and a half — certainly under the new watch with Chief Scott — to instill trust and confidence in the Latino community that the police is not there to harm them in any way, but to protect,” said Jim Salinas, a former police commissioner and head of San Francisco Latino Democratic Club.
“For the federal agents to come in here wearing those police vests certainly diminishes the ability for this police department to continue to build and instill the trust and confidence we have lost,” Salinas said.
Fake news but good god, here we go again with local officials that should know better than fomenting fear in the community, and it isn’t the Chief I’m referring to. But even so: “putting a lot of fear in the community” as quoted by Petra. And “how do we calm the community?” Laughable. First of all, ICE does not announce actions. But as stated by the ICE commissioner himself, any apprehensions made will be of those already in northern California jails. Shameful rhetoric on the part of the San Francisco Police Commission. Does anyone actually buy this garbage? It is they that are stirring up the community. That said, I know a number of Mexican immigrants that absolutely despise the criminal elements in their neighborhoods. They have the same exact fears as the rest of us: safe streets and schools for their children, safe neighborhoods for their businesses, street corners without drug dealers, on and on. And people in the actual community are much closer to the madness than the rest of us. As for the Chief, nothing but respect but he’s a political appointee, plain and simple. He repeats the company line or he’s fast a retired chief pursuing consultant’s work. We haven’t heard the last of this and it’s going to be fun watching it play out among our liberal elitists, most of who are about as close to the mayhem on the streets as the man in the moon. Where’s Kamala live, Georgetown? If you don’t know where Diann lives drive due west on Washington St until you get to the guard shack. The Gav’? Somewhere over in Marin. Long since bailed.
So now LEOs will not assist other LEOs in favor of ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS? There is one thing I can say with certainty. This matter will either be settled by the courts upholding the rule of law and the Constitution, or this country is doomed for a second Civil War that will make the first one look like child’s play. Americans are not going to accept California and its cities condoning this action. The other option….CA can secede and good riddance to you all. But that will NEVER happen because CA, its politicians, and it citizens know that it will never be able to survive financially without the rest of the country helping to foot the bill. It would become a third world country. Oh wait…..It’s already headed in that direction now isn’t it?
Shut it “Rodriguez” lmao. Stop it. Sit down.
Speak for yourself. I’m as American as they come and I don’t want to deport my neighbors and break up families. You want to deport your Mission neighbors? — the people you see walking around the neighborhood, going to work and scraping out a living everyday? Also, California is the engine of the nation’s economy. It’s the rest of America that can’t get by without us.
Paul Rodriguez, California is like the 7th largest economy in the world, maybe higher. Our state economy has a larger GDP than France or Brazil. We are the top economy in the United States and our taxes go to support your state probably. We are also loyal thinking Americans who have a strong and much needed voice in our Nation. We understand that our land was once part of Mexico and that immigration is a natural and much needed in the evolution in this country. My relatives were immigrants escaping disease and poverty. How about yours? We are a nation of immigrants and our diversity is our strength. Eat my shorts. http://www.sacbee.com/news/business/article83780667.html