Phoenix officer charged with murder has mixed past, prior problems

The records show an up-and-down career for the officer, who now faces second-degree murder charges after he shot and killed 29-year-old Daniel Rodriquez during a domestic violence call on October 5.

Rodriquez’s mother called police after an argument. The situation escalated and Chrisman shot him twice. He died shortly later.

Rodriquez was not armed and the killing has ignited the Hispanic community.

Chrisman’s partner also called the incident “the worst day of his life,” arrest records show.

via Phoenix officer charged with murder has mixed past, prior problems.

Precinct in South Phoenix gets a new commander

Crockett returns to lead South Mountain unit

by Sadie Jo Smokey – Oct. 17, 2010 12:00 AM

A police commander who began his career in south Phoenix is returning to lead the South Mountain Precinct.

Cmdr. Chris Crockett, a 23-year veteran of the department, began his new assignment Oct. 11.

Phoenix Public Safety Manager Jack Harris said the change in leadership was in the works prior to a police-officer shooting of an unarmed man in south Phoenix on Oct. 5.

“There has been criticism of how we react with the community,” said Harris. “There is a perception that we can do things better. (The shooting incident) may have accelerated the implementation, but it wasn’t the motivating factor.”

Crockett said one of his missions is to lower the crime rate.

“When things don’t go right, I’ll be ultimately responsible and I’m going to fix them,” Crockett said. “We want to treat everyone fairly and be held accountable.”

As an officer, Crockett worked in the South Mountain Precinct under various assignments beginning in 1987.

In 1999, he led 65 officers at the department’s substation at 2330 E. Jones Ave. serving an area between 16th and 48th streets and South Mountain and the Salt River bottom.

South Phoenix community activist Gail Knight said crime rates decreased by 25 percent and community/police relationships improved under Crockett’s leadership. Knight praised Crockett’s return.

“He’s homegrown,” said Knight. “The community is very excited. It’s good to see him back.”

read more at Precinct in South Phoenix gets a new commander.

Spread the Word « Standing On The Side Of Love

Currently the Department of Homeland Security can delegate immigration enforcement activities to local law enforcement departments. The department’s own audits have cited many failures with these programs, including the ability to protect from human rights abuses.

The local enforcement of national immigration policies only serves to tear families apart and contribute to racial profiling, vigilantism, and a fear of law enforcement that threatens the safety of all our communities.

I just sent a letter to President Obama urging him to put an end to these programs. Can you join me and send a letter too? Just click on the picture to send your letter:

Thank you.

Spread the Word « Standing On The Side Of Love.

Tentative Schedule for Standing on the Side of Love in Phoenix, July 28-30th

Please note that because the situation in Arizona is fluid, plans may shift on short notice. Even if SB 1070 does not go into effect, we will be taking action, in solidarity with local groups such as Puente, to call for immigration reform. Our goal on the ground will be rapid response, plugging into the actions coordinated by our local partners, and supporting their work with actions of our own. Please check back frequently for updates as events unfold:

via Tentative Schedule for Standing on the Side of Love in Phoenix, July 28-30th « Standing On The Side Of Love.

County Attorney Rick Romley reveals immigration plan

Romley responded Wednesday by slamming Thomas’ administration for not requiring the sheriff to provide enough evidence to go to trial, instead hoping that those charged would just plead guilty.

His ethical obligation as a prosecutor requires that, he said.

“With a case such as that, to prove that case in trial you have to have certified copies from (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) that these people were here illegally,” Romley said. “The county attorney’s office never required that (of the sheriff’s office) in the past. Never required it of them. It was sloppy work, it was a lazy person’s work.”

Thomas said Romley was abandoning a proven method of prosecuting illegal immigrants and making sure they don’t come back once they’re deported.

“We have won, at great costs, the ability to prosecute these people and make sure they have a felony conviction,” Thomas said. “And we have lost that.”

On enforcing Senate Bill 1070, Romley said he would work with county attorneys in the state’s 14 other counties to create a standard procedure for prosecutions under the law.

He said one of the elements he will push is for a full police report, to be required for each arrest, so that the reasons for the original stop are apparent.

On misdemeanors, often a police officer just writes a citation similar to a traffic ticket.

“It will eliminate hopefully some level of allegations of racial profiling,” Romley said. “More is better in this case.”

via County Attorney Rick Romley reveals immigration plan – Phoenix Arizona news, breaking news, local news, weather radar, traffic from ABC15 News | ABC15.com.

Police and gangs anger south Phoenix residents

Clarence Harrington III and Anthony Harrington, 53-year-old brothers who are renovating a south Phoenix house, are split.

“We all want a place where we can feel at home,” said Clarence, who wants more uniformed officers on the street to deal with open drug sales and other problems. He added, “As a community, we need to address and deal with problems that perpetuate the problem, like substance abuse . . . and job training.”

But ongoing police crackdowns, Anthony said, mean that regular people are constantly pulled over or questioned by police when they aren’t doing anything wrong.

“The police know all the drug dealers, they know all of the hot spots,” said Anthony, during a break from yard work. “But instead, they make it hard on everyone. They could do it in a different way.”

For Jackson, the mistrust now means she’d rather avoid police altogether.

“Let me die,” Jackson said. “Don’t come to my house. That’s how bad it is. I don’t trust them at all.”

via Police and gangs anger south Phoenix residents.

Cops & Color, Part 2 | Police Ridealong and Preventing Stereotypes

PHOENIX – We spent an evening with two Phoenix Police officers, as they patrolled the streets of south Phoenix.

In south Phoenix, if you are riding a bike you’re a drug dealer. Anywhere else, you’re just riding your bike. Wear a doorag, it’s a fashion statement. In south Phoenix, you’re a gang member.

Through our coverage of Phoenix Police and race issues, we’re trying to come to a better understanding of the stereotypes and tension officers and citizens both encounter.

via Cops & Color, Part 2 | Police Ridealong and Preventing Stereotypes.

Phoenix to tap residents for panel on police

Cavazos, Harris and other officials have acknowledged that there is a “perception” that police, particularly in south Phoenix, treat Blacks and Hispanics differently from Whites.

“This is a minority issue,” said Cavazos, Phoenix’s first Hispanic chief executive, “and we have to include all the different groups that feel they have suffered from discrimination.”

Not all are embracing the idea of another task force.

Community activist Carolyn Lowery said there has been little change since a citizens panel was created in the wake of the 1994 death of 25-year-old Edward Mallet, a Black double-amputee who died after Phoenix police put him in a neck hold.

“We’ve done these task forces over and over again,” said Lowery, who has spent the past 25 years speaking out against police brutality. “I don’t think it’s the way to deal with police brutality. It goes on about six months and you never hear anything else.”

via Phoenix to tap residents for panel on police.

Arpaio launches 2-day immigration sweep

Sheriff Joe Arpaio speaks during a press conference on the latest round of crime suppression sweeps on Monday evening. Nov. 16, 2009.

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio launched a two-day crime-suppression and illegal-immigration sweep on Monday, as dozens of protestors lined a south Phoenix street close to where the sheriff outlined the plans at a crowded press conference.

Slideshow: Sheriff Arpaio’s press conference

It is the second such operation since the federal government stripped Arpaio of street-level immigration patrols under the direction of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Arpaio contends he still can seek to identify illegal immigrants during street patrols using state laws against human smuggling and sanctions for employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants.

The sheriff said his office plans to target semi-trailers and other load vehicles along alternative routes Valleywide, where human smugglers could be attempting to avoid checkpoints, such as those along Interstate 10 and Interstate 17, en route to drop houses.

“We are also noticing a significant change in travel routes,” Arpaio said. “State highways still remain the main travel paths for smugglers and their co-conspirators, but more and more vehicles are being apprehended at alternative, out-of-the-way routes.”

Arpaio said anyone who films the stops along the interstate, including what he described as “open-borders groups,” would be arrested, saying it is illegal to stop and stand unless it’s an emergency.

“These open-borders activists will be warned only once,” he said.

Dozens of protestors along Lower Buckeye Road stood with signs carrying statements, such as “We are human” and “I will not be bullied.”

During the press conference, Arpaio downplayed questions about whether he was grandstanding while Vice President Joe Biden and the national media were in town. Biden spoke in Phoenix Monday morning about the national economy.

“This is just another example of Arpaio’s lack of respect for the Obama Administration and he continues to thumb his nose at the administration,” said protestor Lydia Guzman, president of SOMOS America. Guzman was among a group of protestors across the street from the entrance of the MCSO training building.

“Arpaio’s sweep was nothing but political posturing,” she said.

Mercedes Mercado-Ochoa, a member of the Mesa Association of Hispanic Citizens, said she believes Arpaio is doing the sweeps just to impress the national media in town.

“He’s spending so much taxpayer money on these crime sweeps that it’s not funny anymore,” she said. “He should be held accountable to the taxpayers for the amount he is spending on these sweeps.”

The sweep will entail 200 members of Arpaio’s volunteer posse and reserves, as well as sheriff’s office deputies. Helicopters will also assist in the operation, which Arpaio said will have a%

via Arpaio launches 2-day immigration sweep | Immigration | eastvalleytribune.com.

Arpaio launches new 2-day long crime sweep in Valley

Reported by: Katrina Wessman

Email: kwessman@abc15.com

Last Update: 5:38 am

MARICOPA COUNTY, AZ – Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio has launched a new immigration and crime suppression sweep in the Valley.

Lieutenant Brian Lee said about 200 volunteer posse, reserves and deputies will participate in the two-day sweep that started at 5 p.m. Monday.

As of 9:45 p.m. Monday, 27 people have been taken into custody. According to officials, nine of the 27 were arrested on various state charges and do not appear to be undocumented immigrants.

Lee said the remaining 18 are currently being processed from a “load vehicle” in North Phoenix and are suspected of being in the country illegally.

Arpaio said previously this operation will take advantage of posse helicopters to visually assist ground crews in locating potential “load vehicles.”

Arpaio said this operation will have a substantial focus on human smuggling.

The sheriff's sweeps in some heavily Latino areas of metro Phoenix have drawn criticism that Arpaio's deputies racially profile people.

Arpaio said people pulled over in the sweeps were approached because deputies had probable cause to believe they had committed crimes and that it was only afterward that deputies found many of them were illegal immigrants.

Since March 2006, Sheriff's deputies have reportedly stopped hundreds of load vehicles concluding in the arrests of 1,710 smugglers and co-conspirators, under the felony human smuggling laws.

The undocumented immigration enforcement by deputies has netted a total of 3,532 arrests on state and federal charges since March 2006.

In October, the Obama administration took away Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s authority under the 287g program, which grants power to local authorities to enforce federal immigration laws.

Under the program, 100 sheriff's deputies had been trained to arrest people suspected of being in the country illegally.

However, now, those deputies must call ICE agents to make those arrests.

via Arpaio launches new 2-day long crime sweep in Valley – Phoenix Arizona news, breaking news, local news, weather radar, traffic from ABC15 News | ABC15.com.