Crime and Immigration

George GascГіn
Mesa Police Chief
Oct. 15, 2007 10:52 AM

Defining the role of the police is always a delicate process. For the police, this process requires a thoughtful analysis of the various factors influencing crime to determine the best course of action. For the community to assist in this process requires a well-informed citizenry able to support and hold police accountable to reasonable standards and achievable goals. Good policing is a function of shared responsibility between the police and the various communities being served. This partnership must be based on mutual respect and, above all, accurate and timely information.
Years of experience tell me that this model works. Since I have been the police chief in Mesa, by applying many of these principles, our dedicated men and women, in partnership with the community, have been able to reduce serious crime by 5 percent compared with the same period in September 2006. Also, traffic collisions have been reduced by 6 percent and fatalities have been reduced by 38 percent.
Conversely, ill-defined policing missions that are not based on facts and mutual respect compromise everyone's safety, as undetected repeat offenders are afforded the opportunity to operate with ease while limited police resources are distracted elsewhere. A case in point is the current desire by some to make local police become immigration officers. This desire, I'm told by many, is motivated by a sincere commitment to make our communities safer. I often hear talk about the scourge of crimes by immigrants who are here illegally.

In fact, I have heard how unauthorized immigrants are responsible for as much as 90 percent of the serious crime in Mesa. The problem with this assertion is that it is not supported by the facts.
It is true that human-smuggling operations are becoming more violent, resulting in the killing of many innocent people, mostly undocumented immigrants. It is also true that narcotics-related wars are resulting in killings, mostly of those involved in the trade. However, the typical undocumented immigrant is not any more likely to kill, assault, rob or steal from others than the rest of us. For instance, in Mesa, Hispanics - here legally or not - accounted for 24 percent of all arrests in 2006 for Part I offenses.   Although these figures do not distinguish among citizens, legal immigrants and immigrants who are here illegally, it shows that undocumented Hispanic immigrants could not possibly commit crimes at the rates quoted by some.
Anglos accounted for 65 percent. Other groups accounted for the remainder.
The rate of arrests for Part I offenses is a good barometer of the overall criminality rates because they include most serious crimes such as murder, rape, robbery and theft, including auto and burglary.   As of August 2007, the most recent period for which we have statistics, Hispanics account for 24 percent of these arrests, while Anglos account for 62 percent. Other groups account for the balance. These are confirmed arrest figures, not estimates.
Drilling further down we also look at population rates. Based on recent estimates, Mesa's Hispanic population is approximately 25 percent. Anglos are in the mid-60s to high 60s percentile. The U.S. census' 2006 population estimates indicate Maricopa County's Hispanic population is around 29 percent and the White non-Hispanics account for roughly 61 percent.   Accordingly, it is safe to say that, at least in Mesa, the criminality rate among Hispanics, whether they are here legally or not, is proportionate to their representation.
In fact, these figures tend to be more significant if one takes into account that the Hispanic population is younger than others and that undocumented immigrants are disproportionately poor, young and male: statistically, the group most prone to be involved in crime. We note that there is nothing unique about Mesa that would make these ratios less likely to be representative of other similarly situated areas.
Also, as of July 7, the most recent figures readily available, the Arizona Department of Corrections indicates that the total Mexican national population within our prison system is 12 percent, or approximately 4,500 inmates. It is estimated that there are approximately 500,000 undocumented immigrants in Arizona, mostly of Mexican origin. As is the case with Mesa, at the state level these rates of incarceration do not support the disproportionate criminality levels asserted by some.
Recently, the Major Cities Chiefs Association, a group composed of highly experienced police leaders in the United States and Canada, reported that immigration enforcement by local police would cause immigrants to avoid contact with the police for fear that they, or undocumented family members or friends, may be deported.
The report suggests that, to reduce crime, police depend on the willingness of all community members, regardless of immigration status, to report crimes and assist with other community policing efforts. This conclusion is supported by many experienced police professionals across the nation.
Unquestionably, unauthorized immigration presents many problems nationally, and a thoughtful rational policy at the federal level must be developed to correct these problems. However, disproportionate criminality by people who are here illegally is not one of those problems.
Maximizing public safety in a community is a complex endeavor that requires public trust, thoughtful strategies and, above all, a clear understanding of the problems based on accurate information. In Mesa, we have done just that for the past 13 months, and the results have been very favorable.
George GascГіn is a 29-year police veteran. He spent 28 years with the Los Angeles Police Department, where he rose to the rank of assistant chief. GascГіn, who became chief of the Mesa Police Department a year ago, has a bachelor's degree in history and a juris doctor degree. A member of the Police Executive Research Forum and the California Bar Association, he is a recognized expert on policing both at the national and international level.