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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018.07.16 Council Meeting HandoutYPC�U.ILU' lD e) Petition for the Pasco City Council: Protect the Migrant Community July 16, 2018 Mayor Matt Watkins Pasco City Council Members: Blanche Barajas, District 1 Ruben Alvarado, District 2 Saul Martinez, District 3 Pete Serran6, District 4 David Milne, District 5 Craig Maloney, District 6 RE: Bob Metzger, Pasco Chief of Police Dear Mayor and City Council Members: We the members of this community, are appalled and ashamed of the leadership that has been demonstrated recently. We have been told that if we had a disagreement we should have spoken sooner, we think it would have been obvious were we stand. We've been told that asking for the firing of the Chief of Police is "counterproductive", he's leaving in 10 months they say. We don't have 10 months! They express to us that the actions from the chief of police are a "mistake and did not come from a place of "malice", we have yet to hear a formal apology from the Chief of Police or the City Council. When we reach out to our leaders in hopes that they are open to listening to a different opinion they tell us we are misinformed, and we don't understand the situation. Here's what we understand: The Chief of Police, Bob Metzger, and many representatives that I see sitting here on the council expressed to us a year ago, "local law enforcement is not federal law enforcement". They promised us that they would not obstruct justice, but they would also in no way participate with them. This month has shown us different, it's clear Chief Metzger was open to working with US Border Patrol to "learn Spanish". We have seen the tapes and in no way were the police "learning Spanish," they were learning arrest and detainment procedures with the US Border Patrol. We heard that the other groups aren't representative of this community because they were based in Yakima, WA. Yet Pasco PD reached out a Border Agency that resides in New Mexico. It is obvious that they couldn't be more disconnected with the concerns of this community. How come the Pasco PD didn't look within their own community, given the numerous amount of Spanish speaking translating/interpreting services there are in the area? We have been told that things will get bad if we speak up. Well, we just want to say that things are already bad. Since the executive order, DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), is in political limbo, many eligible students can no longer apply. Several others are waiting and hoping that they'll have one more chance to renew their status, and many parents (who are undocumented migrants) don't even have a solution. Several of our migrant farm working community members are currently undocumented without any access and are living in fear today. Since you all recognize that our community is composed of mostly Latinos many who live in fear and undocumented. These are the lives of the people in your community, people you represent but would like to ignore. Some are here today willing to speak up and many others are too afraid because they know the repercussions when you ask from them to come and speak to you today. We've been told to trust the City Council and the Chief of Police, that it won't happen again. We say we already have and he has broken his word and his trust with this community. We seek an apology from the Chief of Police Bob Metzger, the City Council and we ask that he be removed from his position. Y A community of DACA students. QUESTIONS RESPONSES 27 responses INDIVIDUAL TI Accepting responses me Read the letter, and sign your name below in support of our stance against Bob Metzger from Pasco Police Department! ..' response © (3-TT`(�.4�{�. T'(�.i'(�. r`(� i`(� T'(�. T'(�•i'(�.'1°(a. iQ�T`(�'. i'(�.1`(� T'{�.1'(�.ir{�.1'(�.i"(�•i`(�.i'(�,1r{�.i'{�.i`(� �9 1 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — - — — — —