Dear BOCS Members,I support Supervisor Principi's courageous position to revisit the immigration resolution. I also support Chief Deane 100% who, in my opinion, is one of the finest public servants I've ever known.
The resolution is not about safety but about something else and I'm still trying to figure out what. The entire board acted on not facts but anecdotal information. My perspective is to beef you the zoning enforcement and make sure the Jails are fully participating in the 287G program.
Try to hold the Feds feet to the fire on living up to their end of the ICE bargain and do NOT endanger our excellent police department by forcing them to racially profile. I don't know how you avoid it by only asking people with brown skin certain questions. The law suit on this one will also blow a huge hole in the county budget!
Most of all I'm concerned about public safety funding. Altho there are still fire fighters in the budget the issue has been and will always be the adequate supervision levels of all of these new young fire fighters. Nothing brings this issue to the fore more that Kyle Wilson's death.
Prince William is my home and always will be. I love the community but look what is happening. Chasing a segment of our population away is causing for one thing a surplus of foreclosed, empty "safe houses" for gang members, and now with the policies you all have forced on our excellent police department the community policing model that was our law enforcement jewel is crumbling, because the very community that could give the cops good Intel on the bad guys is sacred to death every time they see a blue uniform. Seems like we've accomplished exactly the opposite of the intention.
You all have the opportunity to fix the mistakes made in the past and focus on the future. The future of all who live, work, and visit Prince William can be bright, but continuing down this draconian road will just give us many more dark days.
b
Bruce Roemmelt, EdD
cross posted at www.GettingAround.org