Who are you going to call?
Well, I remained quiet as long as I could. I’ve watched and listened for months as the media debated the pros and cons of what they called, “The Arizona Law.” By the way, the law is officially known as “Arizona Revised Statute § 11-1051 Cooperation and assistance in enforcement of immigration laws; indemnification” or the “Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act.” I attached a copy to this blog post for you to read. Download AZ Statute 11-1051-2010 Immigration Law When you do, you will accomplish something the vast majority of commentators seem to be unable, or unwilling, to do.
Now, whether or not you support the law, any LEO should be riled up about the opinions being passed off as expert commentary. It amazes me how people can openly state that the law should be struck down “because law enforcement officers will use it to profile people and make illegal stops” or something similar. So, given this commentary, I thought I would pass along my own opinions on these “expert opinions.”
The law specifically prohibits LEOs from “profiling” and limits inquiries into immigration status to those situations involving “any lawful stop, detention or arrest” and “where reasonable suspicion exists that the person is an alien and is unlawfully present in the United States.” However, commentators insist on slandering LEO in Arizona. What concerns me is that they do so with relative impunity.
The men and women of law enforcement in Arizona deserve better treatment. They deserve better respect. The LEOs in Arizona are no different from their counterparts in any other state in the United States. They go to work every day, put their lives in jeopardy and uphold the oath they took to enforce the “Constitution of the United States and the Constitution and laws of the State of Arizona.” I believe such attacks upon Arizona LEOs are attacks and indictments upon every LEO. Therefore, I want to post these “suggestions” from me as an “expert commentator” for all those who accuse Arizona LEO of improper conduct even before the law is enforced.
If you believe that LEOs in Arizona will violate the constitutional rights of people and violate Arizona Revised Statute § 11-1051, whether or not you have stated your opinion publicly, please be consistent and abide by the following rules. After all, if you believe Arizona LEOs will not protect the constitutional rights of citizens and enforce and abide by the laws of Arizona, these rules only make sense.
- Do not call 911 if there is an intruder in your home at 3 am;
- Do not call 911 if your child is missing;
- Do not call 911 to report a burglary at your home;
- Do not call 911 to ask the police to protect you from a stalker;
- Do not ask the police to interrupt a robbery;
- Do not ask the police to respond to your monitored burglar alarm;
- Do not call the police to report a car wreck;
- Do not ask the police to intervene in your domestic disputes;
- Do not look for a police car when your car breaks down on the interstate; and
- Do not say you support law enforcement because you don’t.
While I support freedom of speech, rights come with responsibilities. Words mean something. So if you want to debate the constitutionality of Arizona Revised Statute § 11-1051, the policy behind it or the political ramifications of the statute, I look forward to hearing your thoughts. However, if you want to unfairly criticize the men and women who comprise Arizona’s LEOs, you can expect a response. Do not expect me to be warm and fuzzy.
That’s my opinion. Feel free to comment and share your opinions.
Stay safe.