Officers emphasize CMPD doesn't enforce immigration laws

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department handed out messages in the Latino community Wednesday to remind families that its officers don't enforce immigration laws.

There is a growing divide in trust between Latinos and CMPD, so officers hope the new effort will help build a bridge over the fear.

CMPD started the operation in a grocery store, where many families from Central America and South America go to wire money home.

CMPD is also asking apartment managers to share the messages with Latino families who are too afraid to ask police for help.

"You can always call 911 and we're not going to deport you," Lt. Brad Koch explained.

Jacke Roque operates the store where Koch left a stack of immigration messages.

Roque told Channel 9 immigrants are afraid to call 911 even when they're in trouble because ICE has been ramping up its raids.

She said many families don't know there is a difference between CMPD and ICE, because federal immigration agents wear police vests.

"I see a lot of people get scared in talking about immigration. That's all people are talking about," Roque said.

She is going to share CMPDs message with customers, but there are roadblocks.

Many families are so worried about federal agents they aren't going out.

"They go to work and they go home,” Roque said. “They don't want to shop. They don't want to get anything from anywhere, because they are scared."

Reporter Mark Barber asked, "Do you know how much your sales have dropped since ICE started doing more roundups?"

"I think about $10,000 a month," Roque said.

CMPD Officer Marty Baucom said the department got a black eye when ICE agents started arresting more immigrants.

He learned Spanish to communicate with families, but he thinks it's going to take more than speaking the language. Baucom believes it'll take action like Wednesday's handouts to rebuild trust.

"It's hard to change people's minds, but you have to be persistent. You got to stay on it," Baucom said.

He said he understands critics because he used to think Latinos should speak English if they live in the U.S.

However, he said he's ashamed of that now and gives out his cellphone number to families who are too scared to call 911, so he can help them personally.

The issues started after Gary McFadden, the new Mecklenburg County sheriff, ended the 287(g) program at the jail. The 287(g) program allowed the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office to share information with ICE.

[Sheriff McFadden begins tenure by ending ICE’s 287(g) program in Mecklenburg County]

In return, ICE said it would start making more arrests in the community.

Cox Media Group