Council mulls ICE training for town police

Allison Brophy Champion / Culpeper Star Exponent
Published: May 9, 2007

Town Councilman Steve Jenkins was "dismayed" Tuesday when Mayor Pranas Rimeikis placed the issue of federal immigration training for town police on the regular council agenda.

The two have disagreed over various Jenkins-initiated, immigration-related topics since Jenkins took office in July, and the freshman councilman felt the mayor was trying to shut down his latest proposal by asking all of council to weigh in on it.

"It almost smells of back-alley politics," said Jenkins, who initiated the proposal for Immigration and Customs Enforcement training in January at the committee level.

But in the end, all of council saw it his way, unanimously voting to explore the ICE 287 (g) program for local law enforcement and to invite Special Agent Mark McGraw to its meeting in June for a closed session presentation on the details.

The resolution, however, didn't come so easily.
"I move council spend no more time on ICE training," said Councilman Jim Risner after the mayor asked for their opinion.

Jenkins seconded the motion for discussion purposes, saying he was "surprised" the topic was being taken up considering the public safety committee decided to hold off on it pending the arrival of the new police chief.

Incidentally, incoming Police Chief Scott Barlow was in attendance at Tuesday night's meeting; he starts on the job Monday.

At an earlier welcome reception, the former Newport News police captain said he would support ICE training for Culpeper police officers. He also said illegal immigration was not just a police issue, but also a government and community issue.

For Jenkins, a Culpeper native, the influx of a new population is a big issue.

"Any common-sense individual recognizes we are a changing society," he said.

Training town police officers to detain and interview illegal immigrants could start the deportation process, Jenkins said.
"I don't welcome illegal aliens," he said.

Risner, who works for the U.S. Department of the Army, was suspicious of the ICE program

"I don't see this as an opportunity for the town to take advantage of something the federal government is offering," he said. "I see it as the federal government taking advantage of the town."

That's because the program requires a substantial commitment from any participating locality, he said, and no federal funding.

"There are a lot of strings attached," Risner said of program requirements such as the provision of a local training facility, computer equipment and working space for exclusive ICE use, and a two-year commitment from local law enforcement in order 'to completely process the aliens they encounter upon completion of the 287(g) training.'

Jenkins was not deterred.
He said illegal immigration and its impact on Culpeper was a significant issue for many citizens. Anyone who thought otherwise, he said, must "have been living in a cave."

Councilman Chris Snider said he was "not willing to shut the door on the possibility for this training," proposing that Special Agent McGraw provide more details next month.

Rimeikis stood by his guns, however, saying illegal immigration in Culpeper "is a really low priority" compared to some of the more local issues facing the town.

Risner said the training could be misused.
"I have a very fundamental problem with our officers getting involved in immigration enforcement," he said. "They will want to utilize this training," Risner added, mentioning late-at-night traffic stops targeting Hispanic residents.

Town Councilman Chip Coleman, on the other hand, said the training was worth exploring.

"I'm not for or against it," he said. "But it seems like a good time to educate our citizens on what it does take to get into the program."

At this point, council voted 5-3 against Risner's motion to discontinue discussion on the ICE program. Rimeikis and Yowell supported his position and Councilman Duke duFrane was absent.

Snider than made the motion to invite McGraw to Culpeper for the June 12 meeting and no "nays" were heard.

Allison Brophy Champion can be reached at 825-0771 ext. 101 or abrophy@ starexponent.com