Grand Prairie Police Department Explains SB4 To Community
GRAND PRAIRIE (CBSDFW.COM) - Police in the Metroplex are waging a public relations campaign two weeks before the controversial Senate Bill 4 becomes law in Texas, hoping to spread facts and dispel fear.
"We've already got a lot of fear out there because of Senate Bill 4," said Grand Prairie Police Chief Steven Dye. "So now, what we're trying to do is mitigate that damage."
SB4, the so-called "show me your papers" law, allows police to ask some people they come into contact with about their immigration status. Until today, no one had crystalized what that meant. Today, the Grand Prairie Police Department became the first department in the Metroplex to explain how the law will be carried out by its officers.
Police Chief Dye explained that officers in his department have been and will continue to be briefed on what SB4 is. Starting Sept. 1, cities, counties and police departments must allow law enforcement officers to inquire about certain people's immigration status. They can't make laws or rules to stop officers from doing so or from working with federal immigration authorities.
SB4 doesn't allow police officers to walk up to random people on the street and ask them about their legal status in the country.
"The key here is the officers have to have that person detained or arrested on a legal ground," said Chief Dye. "I think that's the most common misperception of the new law."
This includes civil violations, like jay walking or traffic violations. If a person is pulled over for speeding or running a stop sign, an officer must first ask to see a government I.D., like a driver license. If the person who has been pulled over produces identification, police cannot ask them about their legal status. If the person is unable to produce an I.D., the officer can ask if they are in the U.S, legally. If the person admits to being undocumented, it will be up to the officer to decide if immigrations authorities should be alerted. SB4 doesn't mandate that police have to call Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Chief Dye said he doesn't believe many officers in the Grand Prairie Police Department will be asking about the immigration status of the people they come into contact with.
"Our officers know that when they're out there every day, they need eyes and ears in the community," said Dye. "Almost half of my city is Hispanic. Some of my residents are here illegally. We still want to provide them with a high level of service if they're offended by crime, but also, we want them to call us and report suspicious activity and be witnesses when we do have a crime that they observe, so I think the maintenance of that crime is critical."
Officers can't ask immigration status of victims of crime or witnesses to a crime, unless it's necessary to investigate the crime or give the victim of crime information about visa programs that protect victims and witnesses of crime. SB4 also doesn't apply in school or hospitals either.
It prohibits racial profiling too, according to officers. Patrol officers in the Grand Prairie Police Department wear body cameras while interacting with the public. Chief Dye says body camera footage will be reviewed if there are allegations of racial or ethnic profiling in his department.
"Racial profiling by my officers is not tolerated and that's an immediate termination," said Dye.
The Grand Prairie Police Department plans to hold a series of public meetings, to inform citizens on SB4. Other departments, like the Dallas Police Department, have also been holding public meeting to try to quell fear in their Hispanic communities.
Sgt. Robert Munoz of the Dallas Police Department says the fear is exacerbated by rumors and misinformation spread by word of mouth.
"We're getting request, phone calls, emails, 'We need you at this church, we need you at this school,'" said Sgt. Munoz. "We just want to provide the resources to say, 'This is what we're doing,' dispel some of the rumors, the fear."
The police department for the Dallas ISD says its dealing with parents who don't want to take their kids to school for fear they'll be deported.
"The school district police department is exempt from enforcing this, so there will be no questions asked by our school police officers that are working within the district. (We) want to make sure that the students feel safe to learn and continue to stay in school," said Asst. Police Chief Jason Rodriguez.
SB4 goes into effect September 1.