Turning fear of cops into trust, Orlando focuses on safety of all
Marginalized communities have long feared police — and with good reason. To some, lawenforcement personifies the repressive state; a living example of the unfair standards and cruel prejudice that too often accompanies dark skin in the United States.
This is why I was very pleased when the Orlando City Commission unanimously passed the Trust Act last week with support from Orlando Police Chief John Mina and dozens of community organizations. In an effort to live up to its name, the Trust Act prohibits coordination with ICE, shields witnesses and victims from citizenship inquiries, and allows the police department to focus on the public safety of all of Orlando’s residents.
Some readers may be asking why this is important. Orlando City Commissioner Tony Ortiz (a 14-year veteran of law enforcement) explained it this way: “[Criminals] prey upon undocumented people, and the sad reality is undocumented immigrants are so afraid of the system that they’re not participating with our system to find those people and prosecute them.” If having witnesses and victims speak up is crucial to effective crime prevention, the undocumented among us deserve reassurance that the police won’t turn around and target them for deportation.
In addition to helping keep us all safe, this policy also relieves our law enforcement of an unnecessary burden. There are many critical functions in a society that police manage every day, and we should not be asking our local officers to waste their time and talent enforcing ICE’s racist immigration policies that harm, not help, our community. Yes, I said our immigration policies are racist.
Let me provide you with a recent experience that solidified my position on this. A few weeks ago, I participated in a ride-along with Orange County Sheriff ’s Deputy Lori Haberle. From the 3 p.m. briefing to the 2:30 a.m. return to the station, I witnessed firsthand the everyday encounters of our local law enforcement. After learning the basics of the sheriff ’s vehicle, the lights, sirens, and how to access and use her shotgun if the occasion arises (I’m not kidding — that really happened), we set off on a nearly 12-hour experience of mutual enlightenment. Throughout the shift, Deputy Haberle (whom I had met only once before) and I maintained an open forum, where I could ask her about her work and life, and she could ask me about mine. The conversation jumped from criminal law to religion, politics, gay rights, and more — all while fighting crime and protecting the innocent … and making a few routine traffic stops. And, yes, we talked about immigration, too.
One moment that stuck with me was a conversation we had with a young man of color who was on the receiving end of a minor collision. In a poignant moment of reflection, and out of police earshot, he said to me, “I’ve always been a little scared of cops, but she’s so nice.” Thanks to the professionalism and courtesy of Deputy Haberle, this young man ended with a better view of police than when he started. It was refreshing to witness, and yet it served as a sad reminder of how far we still have to go.
This is precisely why the Trust Act is such an important step forward for Orlando. This young man had done nothing wrong but was still facing an unavoidable encounter with police. We had no idea whether he was a U.S. citizen, and importantly, his national origin had no impact on the issue at hand. I cannot imagine how terrifying that must be for the undocumented among us, and yet it probably happens in Orlando every day.
We should not be complacent living in a society that causes people to fear that they might face harmful consequences if they ask for help. Making sure that undocumented people, and all marginalized communities, can call the police without fear is the right thing to do.
It is worth noting that, while the Orlando Police Department is bound by the new Trust Act policy, the Orange County Sheriff ’s Office is independent and does not take orders from the City Commission. Lucky for us, Sheriff Jerry Demings can easily implement this same policy, if he wants to.
That’s a hint, Mr. Sheriff.