Local law enforcement and Mexican consul react to SB 1070 latest

As a federal judge blocked several provisions of Arizona's controversial immigration law Wednesday morning, local law enforcement officials discussed how the changes would affect Yuma County residents starting Thursday.

Yuma County Sheriff Ralph Ogden said though staff was still reviewing the changes when he spoke with the Yuma Sun Wednesday, one thing is for certain: He said no one's rights will be violated and he wants everyone to be safe.

“I need the citizens to understand what's going on. We'll just stay on top of it. We've got the staff and we've got the people all across Yuma County who can handle it.”

For several hundred sheriff's officers throughout the county, the move Wednesday morning by U.S. District Court Judge Susan Bolton will change a few things.

“They've already received training ...,” Ogden said, referring to training law enforcement the state rushed to implement after Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signed the bill into law.

“But, I think what you're going to find is it's very similar to what it was yesterday, the day before and six years ago,” Ogden said.

He said they've already done a lot of in-service training to prepare for any changes and to make sure all officers understand what is going on. “We in Yuma County, including the police department and (other law enforcement agencies), are probably more prepared for this than any other agency in the state.”

That's because, Ogden said, the Yuma County Sheriff's Office and other local agencies have the benefit of well-established and good relationships with each other and federal law enforcement agencies such as the U.S. Border Patrol.

“We've always had that and we strive to keep it,” he said. “We work very closely together.”

City police spokesman Sgt. Clint Norred said they're also going to follow whatever laws are in place at the time.

“We are following the court proceedings and understand provisions of the law were blocked and we'll continue to monitor the court proceedings,” he told the Yuma Sun Wednesday.

Moments after learning of the decision of the district judge, the consul of Mexico in Yuma, Miguel Escobar, said that even with the partial suspension of SB 1070, they will watch the implementation of it.

“What I know is that the judge objected to parts of the law, but do not know what they were. In any case the work of consular protection will continue to apply as we were instructed.”

Escobar reiterated that the instructions are kept to strengthen consular protection measures as they learn the scope of the law, “how far it will operate, even where no law is going to operate with the decision issued by the federal judge.”

Stephanie A. Wilken can be reached at swilken@yumasun.com or 539-6857. Bajo El Sol staff writer Cesar Neyoy contributed to this report.