Safety & Trust Needed, Not Helicopters

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Help Save Maryland Newsletter

CITIZEN SAFETY & TRUST NEEDED, NOT HELICOPTERS

During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act. - George Orwell

Despite the continued economic downturn and severe state and county budget shortfalls, Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett and his Police Chief Tom Manger are making the rounds begging for a Police Aviation Unit ("Helicopters improve safety, make sense financially", Gazette, 9/23/09). It's a seemingly two-year "free lunch" as Uncle Sam provides the helicopters while confiscated drug and organized crime monies pay the fuel and maintenance costs.

But Leggett and Manger are being less than truthful with the citizens of Montgomery County regarding all aspects of their law enforcement strategy. The false bravado of helicopters being "force-multipliers to fight crime" and making police "smarter and more efficient in keeping our community safe", are just hollow promises. Recent unpublicized and unwarranted changes in Montgomery County Police policy and procedures have effectively neutered police officers in the field, jeopardizing the safety and well-being of all County citizens.

Last year, almost a dozen Montgomery County citizens were brutally murdered by illegal alien gang members and day laborers, including 14-year old honor student Tai Lam and 83-year old Holocaust survivor Lila Meizell. The public uproar was such that Leggett, Manger and Montgomery County State's Attorney John McCarthy modified and strengthened police procedures regarding illegal aliens. A major part of the February 11, 2009 policy modification, forced in part by the actions of Help Save Maryland, Judicial Watch and other citizen organizations, was the ability of police officers to freely communicate with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) regarding the "legal presence" of all suspects before they committed a serious criminal act. It was a positive step toward eliminating Manger's "post-mortem" police tactics and was approved by Leggett despite heavy lobbying from CASA of Maryland and other taxpayer funded illegal alien support groups.

On September 1, 2009, with the stroke of a pen and under a total media blackout, Leggett, Manger and McCarthy fully striped the rights of all police officers to communicate with ICE. This new policy ban covers all operations and discussions with ICE except in the most heinous of crimes. Equally devastating, officers can no longer routinely run the names of potential suspects though ICE's vast database of wanted illegal aliens, actions that could have saved the lives of Tai Lam, Lila Meizell and countless other crime victims (Chandra Levy for example, would be alive today had DC Police months earlier run her suspected killer's name through ICE). Helicopters won't solve the needless pain, suffering and loss inflicted on the Community because of this new lax and secretive policing policy. Montgomery County is now an official, full-fledged sanctuary for illegal alien criminals.

Most disturbing, the September 1 policy change shockingly places the Montgomery County Police in a weaker position to serve and protect citizens then prior to Leggett's highly publicized earlier February 11 modifications. We can thank the illegal alien support group Identity Inc, a sister organization of CASA of Maryland and Catholic Charities for causing Leggett, Manger and McCarthy to backtrack and abandon community safety and their professional credibility for the fool's gold of Hispanic community political support. Our three County officials cling to the delusive phantom of illegal alien amnesty as their savior from the coming community backlash over weakened law enforcement leadership and procedures.

Chief Manger and his senior officers of course denied the existence of the September 1 policy change memorandum. It was only when Help Save Maryland members waved the "non-existent document" under their collective noses at the Chief's October 17 monthly Latino Liaison meeting did the Chief's tone change. But it's too late for Leggett, McCarthy and Manger, as this poorly attempted cover up and backdoor appeasement to the illegal alien community regarding citizen safety will have consequences far beyond the secretive three page policy memo.

Chief Manger, less than three years from a needed retirement, has truly lost what little credibility he has left with Montgomery County citizens. He has sold out public safety and the fleeting memories of the near dozen citizens murdered at the hands of illegal alien criminals. Equally important, Manger has lost the trust and respect of his rank and file officers who are now helpless in getting criminal illegal alien gang members and day laborers off our streets. Relations with ICE have also been severely strained.

Leggett, McCarthy and Manger are mere pawns of the Hispanic illegal alien community and their taxpayer funded support groups. As the ramifications of the September 1 policy memo continue to unfold and become public, all three gentlemen may be looking for a helicopter ride out of town.

Brad Botwin, DirectorHelp Save Maryland

Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett ocemail@montgomerycountymd.gov

Montgomery County Council county.council@montgomerycountymd.gov

www.HelpSaveMaryland.com