Monday, October 20, 2008

IMMIGRATION & PUBLIC SAFETY WORKING GROUP MEETS TUESDAY


A working group convened by Gov. Bill Ritter to examine public-safety and immigration-enforcement gaps in local, state and federal laws will hold its first meeting tomorrow (Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2008).
 
The meeting is scheduled for 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. in the training room at the Jefferson County District Attorney's Office, 500 Jefferson County Parkway, Golden.
 
Gov. Ritter directed Colorado Department of Public Safety Executive Director Pete Weir to establish the working group last month following two traffic crashes in Aurora, including one crash that resulted in the deaths of three people. Both crashes involved drivers residing inColorado in violation of federal immigration laws. 

The 31-member panel of law enforcement officials, policymakers and community stakeholders will meet at least five times through Nov. 17. A report from the working group is due to Gov. Ritter by the end of December. 

Members of the working group include: 

Chief Dan Brennan, Wheat Ridge Police Department 
Lt. Col. Doyle Eicher, Colorado State Patrol 
Troy Eid, United States Attorney for the District of Colorado 
Capt. Kevin Eldridge, Colorado State Patrol 
Sheriff Doug Darr, Adams County 
Chief Dennis Harrison, Fort Collins Police Services 
Sheriff Stan Hilkey, Mesa County 
Roxanne Huber, Executive Director, Colorado Department of Revenue 
Hon. Jim Kerr, Representative, Colorado General Assembly 
Hon. Steve King, Representative, Colorado General Assembly 
Maj. Brenda Leffler, Colorado State Patrol 
Sheriff Terry Maketa, El Paso County 
Patricia Medige, Colorado Legal Services 
Hon. John Morse, Senator, Colorado General Assembly 
Chief Dan Oates, Aurora Police Department 
Sheriff Grayson Robinson, Arapahoe County 
Hon. Andrew Romanoff, Speaker, House of Representatives, Colorado General Assembly 
L. Antoinette Salazar, Salazar & Associates 
Kathy Sasak, Deputy Director, Colorado Department of Public Safety 
Hon. Dave Schultheis, Senator, Colorado General Assembly 
Ron Sloan, Director, Colorado Bureau of Investigation 
Hon. Scott Storey, District Attorney, 1st Judicial District 
Hon. John Suthers, Colorado Attorney General 
Amber J. Tafoya, Esq., Colorado Immigrant Rights 
Ann Terry, Colorado Department of Public Safety, Executive Director's Office
Hon. Nancy Todd, Representative, Colorado General Assembly 
Sheriff Lou Vallario, Garfield County 
Stephanie Villafuerte, Deputy Chief of Staff, Governor's Office 
Peter Weir, Executive Director, Colorado Department of Public Safety 
Chief Gerald Whitman, Denver Police Department
Ari Zavaras, Executive Director, Colorado Department of Corrections 

The group will work to identify solutions that can be enacted at the local and state levels, including:
 
·         Identifying the problems faced by local and state law enforcement relative to the enforcement of the state and municipal criminal laws involving illegal immigrants.
 
·         Identifying information gaps and barriers to sharing criminal justice and immigration status information among local, state and federal law enforcement agencies.
 
·         Discussing whether there are specific statutory or other changes that might address some of the problems.
 
·         Facilitating a discussion of policy recommendations to the federal government to address the problems identified by local and state law enforcement.
 
Following Tuesday's meeting, the working group is tentatively scheduled to meet:
 
A.    Oct. 31, 1 to 5 p.m.  
Jefferson County D.A.s Office – 500 Jefferson County Parkway
 
B.     Nov. 6, 1 to 5 p.m.  
Jefferson County D.A.s Office – 500 Jefferson County Parkway
 
C.     Nov. 13, 1 to 5 p.m. 
NETI – 12345 W. Alameda Parkway, Lakewood
 
D.    Nov. 17, 1 to 5 p.m.  
Jefferson County D.A.s Office – 500 Jefferson County Parkway