Frederick Police Chief Addresses Immigration Issue

He says the Frederick Police enforce traffic and criminal laws, but not immigration laws.Frederick, Md (KM) Frederick Police Chief Jason Lando recently addressed the issue of immigration. His comments came prior to Mayor Michael O’Connor’s statement that the city will resist policies proposed by President-elect Trump to deport those in the country illegally and have committed crimes.Chief Lando said the Frederick Police Department enforces traffic laws and criminal laws, but not immigration laws. “One of my concerns as a police chief is if we have people that are afraid that every time we show up, we’re going to ask their immigration status, they’re not going to call 911 during an emergency, they’re not going to give us tips and information, they’re not going to serve as witnesses in cases because they’re going to be terrified. They’re going to see us as the enemy,” he said.The Chief says if someone is in the country illegally, and has not committed a crime, or there is no other reason to take them into custody, Frederick Police Officers will not apprehended them. “Do I think that if someone has committed a crime, and they’re in the country illegally, to me that’s a different story,”: Lando says. “But on a daily basis to just go out and check immigration status when we’re out on a routine call, it will hurt our police department more than it will help it.”The Frederick Police Department does not participate in the federal  287g program where the immigration status of suspects who are arrested is determined by background checks done at the local Adult Detention Center. “It is my understanding at the jail as part their warrant checking and screening process, that it could come that person has a deportation warrant. That’s the only time where we have any sort of interface with 287g is if we take someone to the jail and then later discover that they’re in the country illegally,” he says.The Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, which operates the Adult Detention Center, participates in the 287g program.Chief Lando was a guest recently on WFMD’s “Morning News Express.”By Kevin McManus