COMMUNITY COMMENTARY:Analysis is misguided, disappointing

I was very disappointed in former Costa Mesa Police Chief Dave Snowden's Community Commentary in Wednesday's Pilot ("Time to return to sound policy"). Not only did it contain inaccurate information, but he resorted to playing the race card.

Snowden states that we used to have a "caring reputation" and that "our large Latino population trusted us." I believe our population in general trusts us regardless of their heritage and that we do care about the community we serve. There are many people with a Hispanic last name just as I have a Middle Eastern last name. That is not the issue. The issue here is illegal immigrants who commit crimes regardless of where they are from and that we should have a reputation of upholding all laws.

Snowden mentioned that the illegal immigration enforcement proposal is to "train police to be immigration agents." He knows this is not correct.

They will still be police officers but will be trained by and work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to make sure that illegal immigrants who commit crimes are deported. Contrary to what Snowden says, this is not always being done, and you have to read his statements carefully. He states: "We also know that convicted felons arrested in Costa Mesa are already being screened and deported if found to be here unlawfully." There are problems with this statement. He mentions "convicted felons" so I assume he means repeat offenders who have committed prior crimes, but he does not mention new criminal arrests. And he says they are "deported if found to be here unlawfully." The problem with that is that we only ask about their nation of origin, we do not ask about their legal status. You won't find something you are not looking for.

Additionally, Snowden says: "We know Costa Mesa police have always been able to put an immigration hold on any arrestee suspected of being here illegally." But we don't in all cases. That is the point. We need to start doing that, and immigration enforcement does not have the resources to respond all the time.

Snowden mentions that "under Sheriff Mike Carona's new program, all prisoners will be screened at the county jail for immigration status." That is what the papers have reported, but it has not been verified officially by Costa Mesa, and we are trying to get accurate information so we know how to proceed with implementation in Costa Mesa.