Pubdate: Wed, 25 May 2005
Source: Brownsville Herald, The (TX)
Copyright: 2005 The Brownsville Herald
Contact: http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/contact.php
Website: http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1402
Author: Eduardo Villarreal

SUPPORTER OF SEARCHES MIGHT LACK EXPERIENCE

Editor:

This is in response to Brownsville Police Officer Robert R. Tyler's 
criticism on Sen. Juan Hinojosa's support of Senate Bill 1195.

Maybe Mr. Tyler has never had to explain to his 5-year-old son that their 
car is being searched by dogs and "nice police officers" because they 
happen to be Mexican-Americans from the Brownsville, and that is 
"reasonable suspicion" to believe they are carrying drugs out of the Valley.

Maybe Mr. Tyler does not have a brother or father who drives trucks over 
the road, who are frequently pestered by law officers to search their 
loads, because of where they are coming from and their last name.

Maybe Mr. Tyler has never gone to dinner with an African-American friend 
and had an officer pull them over, alleging that they were swerving, when 
in reality it was because when black and brown meet, "reasonable suspicion" 
is that it's for a drug deal.

Maybe Mr. Tyler has never traveled outside the Valley. Maybe Mr. Tyler does 
not know how you get singled out when your last name is not Tyler but 
Garcia, and when an officer sees the Brownsville address in your driver's 
license, it's grounds for "reasonable suspicion."

I believe I speak for all people who have felt they were stereotyped by 
police outside the Valley.

Eduardo Villarreal

Brownsville

Via the Internet 
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MAP posted-by: Elizabeth Wehrman