Assuring fairness — again
New London now has a resolution reiterating practices that the city already has in place to assure all residents are treated fairly and need not fear cooperating with or seeking help from city police.
When this debate began back in March, The Day took the position that the resolution was unnecessary. New London is already a community that embraces diversity and recognizes the rightfulness of treating everyone fairly.
We also noted in our prior editorial that executive orders issued in December 2011 by then-Mayor Daryl Justin Finizio barred city police from inquiring about the immigration status of individuals, unless tied to the matter being investigated. The orders, still in effect, also strictly prohibited racial profiling by police.
The resolution passed 5-2 by the City Council on Monday essentially restates these orders. Unfortunately, the long debate involving the resolution opened divisions in the community, with critics seeing it as making New London a “sanctuary city” and supporters arguing it was vital to protect residents without legal immigration status.
Police Chief Peter Reichard has said it will not change operations. City police do not now act as an arm of federal immigration enforcement. Police, he has said, recognize the importance of assuring all residents can feel safe working with local law enforcement without fear of having their immigration status questioned.
To attract votes, the resolution was watered down a bit, amended to remove a requirement that city police demand a judicial warrant before they detain or hold someone at the request of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. Police need reasonable leeway in such situations. Left in place were the essential elements of the resolution, which again put in writing the assurance that the police, who are in place to protect and serve, treat all residents impartially.
Agree or disagree with the need for the resolution, the saving grace is that the matter is closed, with no more need for people to pick sides over this highly emotional issue.
With a president who generates fear of immigrants for his political advantage, and whose policies are now separating children from parents at our border, it is understandable why the council felt the need to support the resolution, even if it is redundant.