LAPD Chief: Cops Shouldn't Tag Immigrants

(AP)  Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton says his department must stay out of the business of collaring illegal immigrants.

In an article in Tuesday's Los Angeles Times, Bratton says the LAPD should continue a three-decade-old policy that prohibits officers from stopping someone solely to determine whether they're in the country illegally.

Bratton says it's harder for police to do their job if witnesses won't come forward because they're afraid of deportation.

Dozens of state and local police agencies around the country have joined a federal program giving officers the powers of federal immigration agents. But the chief says his replacement should focus on community outreach and not community alienation.

Bratton will step down Saturday to join a Virginia-based global security firm.

[Sloughfoot]

L A has become a festering cesspool of humanity after 30 years of City and police managemnt by the likes of bratten and his cronies. His feel good policies have turned down town L A into a war zone at night. thank you mr. bratten. Watch the global based security firm open it's arms to global terrorist. Top Cop in L A you otta join your buddy from NYC.

[jd2408]

California has become a 3rd world country on its own. It is a mess and is getting worse. Please, love your illegals all you want, just make sure they stay there. Maybe border patrol around California might work ?

[inketolstoy]

I am a little confused when the head of the LAPD says that having his officers enforce the laws of the country will prevent his officers from being able to enforce the laws of the country. What is next, Tim Geitner saying that haveing the IRS prosecute tax evaders is a distraction from their job of collecting taxes?

[GTR5]

He, as a chief of police, is one of the reasons we have a bad problem with illegals in our country. All illegals should be picked up and deported. What part of illegal does he not understand?

[tbird6740]

There would be no worries about getting illegal alien witnesses to come forward if they're NOT IN THE COUNTRY to WITNESS ANYTHING!

[billatmsn]

He is rich and a cop he doesn't deal with undocument illegals, no drivers license, no insurance, they don't take baths and they love kidnapping young girls. Kick all illegals out of America.