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\f0\fs24 \cf0 >> JOINING ME NOW IS JOHN CARLOS\ FREY WHO WROTE A PIECE ON\
ESCONDIDO'S PARTNERSHIP WITH ICE\ AND ESCONDIDO'S POLICE CHIEF JIM\
MAHER.\ JIM, LET'S START WITH YOU.\
TELL US WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE\ CARS ARE IMPOUNDED FROM THE\
UNLICENSED DRIVERS.\ WHAT HAPPENED?\
WHAT FEES KICKED IN?\ WHO PROFITED?\
HOW MUCH MONEY WAS MADE.\ >> WE LOOKED AT THREE DIFFERENT\
DISTINCT AREAS.\ ONE THE CITY RECEIVES GRANT\
MONEY TO RUN THE CHECK POINTS.\ TWO, THEY RECEIVE MONEY FROM THE\
IMPOUND YARDS THAT THEY CHARGE\ THE OWNERS.\
THREE, THEY MAKE MONEY FROM TOW\ CONTRACTORS WHO TOW THE\
VEHICLES.\ WE FOUND DISCREPANCIES IN ALL OF\
THEIR DOCUMENTS.\ WE RECEIVED SPREADSHEETS FROM\
THE COMPANIES THEMSELVES.\ WE LOOKED AT THE PADDING OF\
EXPENSES AND REIMBURSABLE COSTS\ THAT SEEMED EXORBANT.\
>> UNTIL THE START OF THE YEARS\ THE CARS WERE SUBJECT TO A 30\
\page DAY IMPOUND.\ THAT IS NO LONGER HAPPENING.\
JIM MAHER, TO IMPLEMENT THE\ PROGRAM YOU RECEIVED $350,000\
FROM THE STATE'S OFFICE OF\ TRAFFIC AND SAFETY.\
UNDER THE TERMS OF THE GRANT\ YOU'RE NOT TO PROFIT FROM THE\
PROGRAM.\ YOUR DEPARTMENT RECEIVES\
$450,000 FROM TOWING COMPANIES\ THAT PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM.\
A REPORT LAST YEARS SHOWED THAT\ TOWING EXPENSES INCLUDED BULLET\
PROOF VESTS AND WEAPONS, WEAR\ AND TEAR ON CELLPHONES.\
WHY BULLET PROOF VESTS FOR A\ TOWING PROGRAM LIKE THIS.\
>> IT'S STANDARD EQUIPMENT THAT\ THE OFFICERS WEAR, BULLET\
RESISTENT VESTS.\ AS FAR AS JOHN'S STATEMENT WITH\
ALL THREE CATEGORIES AND\ PADDING: THE OTS GRANTS WE LOWER\
WHAT WE CHARGE PEOPLE AT THE OTS\ GRANTS BECAUSE SOME OF THE COST\
IS REIMBURSED TO US FROM THE\ FEDERAL MONEY.
WE WENT FROM $180\ TO $100 AT OUR OTS GRANT FUNDED\
CHECK POINTS.\ >> WHY DID YOU LOWER THOSE\
EXPENSES?\ >> BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS\
FARE.\ IT WAS UNFAIR IF IT COST UP $180\
TO TOW A CAR WITH OFFICER SALARY\ AND BENEFITS AND EQUIPMENT.\
BUT WE'RE, WE'RE REIMBURSED\ ABOUT $80 OF THAT FROM THE\
STATE.\ NOW I'M NOT AWARE IF OTHER\
AGENCIES IN CALIFORNIA HAVE DONE\ THE SAME THING.\
LOWERED FEES FOR OTS GRANT TOWS.\ WE DO.\
WHY SHOULD YOU BE CHARGED FOR\ THE OFFICER'S SALARY WHEN WE'RE\
REIMBURSED FROM THE STATE.\ IT WAS WRONG.\
AS SOON AS I REALIZE IT DID WE\ \page STOPPED IT.\
>> OFFICER, READING JOHN'S PIECE\ THE QUESTION HAS TO BE ASKED IS\
THE ESCONDIDO POLICE DEPARTMENT\ ILLEGALLY PROFITING FROM THIS\
PROGRAM?\ >> ABSOLUTELY NOT.\
ABSOLUTELY NOT.\ LIKE ALL LAW ENFORCE.\
AGENCIES WE HAVE PROVIDE ANY A.\ COUNTING OF OUR COSTS.\
DOWN TO THE XEROX REPORTING OF\ REPORTS, ETCETERA, I DON'T\
CONTROL THAT.\ IT'S NOT SOMETHING THE POLICE\
CHIEF SETS POLICIES BY.\ REVENUE THAT WE BRING IN OR\
DON'T DON'T BRING IN IS NOT MY\ CONCERN.\
MY CONCERN IS MAKING THE ROADS\ SAFER.\
I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH\ WHETHER OR NOT WE MAKE A PROFIT\
OR DON'T MAKE A PROFIT.\ >> THE ACLU IS CALLING FOR A\
INDEPENDENT AUDIT OF THE\ PROGRAM.\
WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO OPEN UP\ THE DEPARTMENT'S BOOKS TO\
AUDITORS.\ >> WE DON'T HAVE BOOKS.\
WE DON'T HAVE THE BOOKS YOU ARE\ TALKING ABOUT.\
IF THEY WANT TO KNOW OUR\ CONTRACTORS ARE WE CAN GIVE THEM\
THAT.\ IF THEY WANT TO KNOW WHAT WE USE\
TO JUSTIFY THE COSTS, OF COURSE\ WE WILL.\
THEY KNOW THEY CAN HAVE THAT\ THROUGH PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST.\
JUST ASK FOR IT, WE WILL GIVE IT\ TO THEM.\
>> CHIEF MAHER, ESCONDIDO POLICE\ DEPARTMENT IS THE ONLY POLICE\
DEPARTMENT IN THE COUNTRY\ PARTNERING UP WITH IMMIGRATIONS\
CUSTOMS AND ENFORCE.\ WHAT WAS THE IDEA BEHIND THIS\
PARTNERSHIP.\ \page >> THE THINKING WAS TO MAKE THE\
CITY SAFER.\ I THINK ANYONE WHO UNDERSTANDS\
WHAT THE PARTNERSHIP IS WITHOUT\ THE RHETORIC AND SLANTING WOULD\
KNOW IT MAKES CITY SAFER.\ THAT'S WHY WE RECEIVED THE\
NATIONAL AWARD FROM THE ICE\ DIRECTOR BACK IN CHICAGO IN\
OCTOBER.\ BASICALLY OUR POLICY IS THIS,\
ICE OFFICERS WORK WITH US.\ THEY DON'T GO TO OUR CHECK\
POINTS.\ THEY DON'T DRIVE IN OUR POLICE\
OFFICERS.\ THERE IS A CONCERN ABOUT THE\
PERCEPTION OF THE COMMUNITY.\ >> IF WE ENCOUNTER SOMEONE WHO\
WE CAN LEGALLY DETAIN AND\ SUSPECT IS IN THE COUNTRY\
ILLEGALLY, IF THEY HAVE A\ CRIMINAL CONVICTION THEN WE TURN\
THEM FOR TO ICE AND THEY GET\ DEPORTED.\
IN MANY OTHER LOCATIONS, IN MOST\ OTHER LOCATIONS SOMEONE WHO\
LIVES NEXT DOOR TO YOU WHO HAS\ BEEN CONVICTED OF BURGLARY OR\
CHILD MOLEST OR WORST IF THERE\ IS WORST, COULD DO THEIR TIME,\
BE DEPORTED, RETURN TO THIS\ COUNTRY ILLEGALLY AND REMAIN\
HERE.\ YOU CAN'T DO THAT IN HE IS CON\
DEED OH,.\ >> JOHN, MOST POLICE DEPARTMENTS\
CONDUCT CHECK POINTS AT NIGHT.\ BASED ON YOUR INFORMATION WHEN\
IS ESCONDIDO CONDUCTING THE\ CHECK POINT AND WHAT ARE THEY\
FINDING?\ >> THERE ARE.\
>> REAL STATISTICS ABOUT\ UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS AND\
DEPORTED.\ THEY HAVEN'T BEEN PROVIDED TO\
ME.\ THEY RUN THE OTS CHECK POINTS AS\
REQUIRED.\ \page THEY START AT 6:00 AT NIGHT AND\
END AROUND MIDNIGHT.\ THEY PARTICIPATE IN CHECK POINTS\
THAT ARE FUNDED BY THEMSELVES.\ SOME ARE VEHICLE SAFETY CHECK\
POINTS.\ THAT CAN BE DURING THE DAYTIME\
AND MORNING HOURS AT THEIR\ DISCRETION.\
AS FAR AS THE FUNDING IS\ CONCERNED THE DOCUMENTS THE\
CHIEF SUGGESTS HE WOULD GIVE TO\ THE ACLU HE HAS NOT PROVIDED TO\
ME.\ THROUGH PUBLIC RECORD REQUESTS I\
HAVE ASKED FOR TOW CONTRACTS AND\ IMPOUND FEES.\
IF YOU ASK THE CHIEF WHEN HE\ REINTRODUCED THE FEE FROM $10 TO\
$100 IT WAS IN THE PAST YEAR.\ THEY HAVE RUN THE CHECK POINTS\
FOR EIGHT YEARS.\ >> CHIEF, JOHN SAYS HE HAS ASKED\
FOR THE DOCUMENTS.\ >> HE HAS NEVER MADE THE REQUEST\
TO ME OR OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH\ LIAISON WHO WAS SPECIFICALLY TO\
BE THE LIAISON WITH JOHN TO HELP\ HIM, WHAT HE NEEDED FOR THE\
DOCUMENTARY AND ETCETERA, I WANT\ TO POINT OUT THIS IS THE\
PROPOSAL.\ NATION WIDE ADVOCACY PROGRAM TO\
RAISE AWARENESS OF THE RACIALLY\ AND DISCRIMINATORY CAMPAIGN BY\
THE CITY COUNCIL.\ THIS GENTLEMAN CAME IN HERE WITH\
THE INTENTION OF FINDING THIS TO\ BE DISCRIMINATORY AND RACIALLY\
MOTIVATED AND FURTHER DIVIDE OUR\ CITY.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M\ VERY MUCH UPSET WITH.\
WE WORK HARD TO KEEP OUR CITY\ UNDIVIDED.\
THESE STORIES ARE WHAT MAKES IT\ SO DIFFICULT FOR US.\
>> TWO REALLY QUICK QUESTIONS.\ WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO PROVIDE\
HIM THE DOCUMENTS NOW.\ JOHN, DOES YOUR REQUEST FOR\
\page INFORMATION REQUEST SOME BIAS.\ >> I'M NOT SURE HOW NUMBERS CAN\
BE BIASED.\ MY REPORTING IS SPECIFICALLY ON\
THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS THAT THE CITY\ OF ESCONDIDO HAS OBTAINED\
THROUGH CHECK POINTS, O TS\ FUNDING AND IMPOUNDING OF\
VEHICLES.\ IT'S FACT BASED.\
IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO REFUTE MY\ FINDINGS ON THE BASIS OF FACT\
I'M HAPPY TO PROVIDE THAT.\ IF I HAVE MADE ERRORS IN MY\
REPORTING I'M HAPPY TO CORRECT\ THEM.\
THESE ARE NUMBERS AND DOLLARS\ AMOUNTS.\
THERE IS NO RACIAL BIAS.\ THE CITY OF ESCONDIDO HAS\
INCREASED TOW CHARGES 600% FROM\ 2007 TO 2011 WITHOUT\
EXPLANATION.\ I HAVE THE DOCUMENT TO PROVE\
THAT.\ THEIR OWN DOCUMENT NOT MINE.\
>> CHIEF MAHER, I WANT TO JUMP\ AHEAD TO PUBLIC POLICY.\
IN THE PAST ESCONDIDO HAS COME\ UNDER FIRE FOR UNFAIRLY\
TARGETING LATINOS, BY SOME\ GROUPS.\
HAVING LANDLORDS ASK FOR LEGAL\ PROVE BEFORE RENTING.\
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR\ RELATIONSHIP TO THE LATINO\
COMMUNITY.\ >> IT'S EXCELLENT.\
I THINK THAT'S APPARENT SINCE I\ HAVE BEEN CHIEF OUR LATINO\
POPULATION HAS GROWN FROM\ MINORITY TO MAJORITY POPULATION.\
SECONDLY, NONE OF THE THINGS\ ACCUSE US OF BEING OR ACCURATELY\
ACCUSE US OF TARGETING LA TEEN\ OWES.\
THE RENT AT ORDINALS AND OTHER\ ISSUES WERE AIMED AT ILLEGAL\
IMMIGRANTS NOT LATINOS.\ >> ARE YOU WILLING TO PROVIDE\
\page THE DOCUMENTS THAT JOHN IS\ ASKING FOR?\
>> I SUSPECT WE HAVE SINCE HE\ HAS CHARTS AND DOCUMENTS.\
ANYTHING HE CLAIMS HE DOESN'T\ HAVE, OF COURSE WE WILL.\
WE HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE.\ >> THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TOLD ME\
THE DOCUMENTS DON'T EXIST.\ I AM HAPPY TO PROVIDE THE CHIEF\
WITH THE E-MAILS THAT SAY THEY\ DON EXIST.\
>> IF HE'S TALKING ABOUT\ LOWERING THE FEE.\
THAT WAS JUST DIRECTED BECAUSE I\ THOUGHT IT WAS FARE.\
WOULD I TURN TO JOHN AND SAY\ BEFORE YOU CRITICIZE US FOR NOT\
DOING IT SOONER.\ LET ME ASK YOU, HOW MANY OTHER\
AGENCIES CHARGE LESS FOR OTS\ IMPOUNDING FEES THAN OTHERS.\
>> WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT\ OTHERS.\
>> GENTLEMEN, WE HAVE TO END IT.\ THERE.\
>> THANK YOU.\ }