The following statement is in regard to Indiana Borough Police assisting the U.S. Marshals Service Wednesday morning while they searched for a wanted person near the 500 block of Church Street. Read that story here.
From the Indiana Borough Police Department Chief of Police Justin Schawl
Yesterday, we assisted federal partners from the United States Marshals Service who were attempting to serve an arrest warrant. It is not unusual for us to assist our partners, and we do so many times, when their duties bring them to Indiana Borough. What was different about yesterday was an immediately felt community reaction to rumor that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were conducting an activity in town. Because I know this national topic has everyone’s attention and because yesterday’s moment gives us this opportunity, I submit the following:
Since my appointment as Chief on February 1, 2019, the following statements have appeared at the top of our police department webpage:
Indiana Borough is a welcoming, vibrant community- and place of significance. Indiana Borough is a diverse community and its diversity mal
Similarly, since 2019 our mission has been to 1. Enhance the quality of life here. 2. Provide high level service. 3. Focus on community peace, safety, and comfort. 4. Act with honor, integrity, and respect for everyone we serve.
You have an exceptional police department. We have established a culture of community wellbeing, sound decision making, officer wellness, and technical proficiency. We are intentional partners with everyone who can help us achieve mission success because we are better able to serve each other and always safer when we are working together. We stand against those who intentionally want to hurt another person and the circumstances that make our community less safe.
We have no control over the headlines dominating national news or the tone they are being relayed. I don’t know anyone who feels good about the physical violence that occurred in Minnesota and elsewhere. It is clear immigration enforcement is a priority of the federal government and it is clear many agree and many disagree. What brings relief to some brings pain to others.
Opinions across the country are separated on this topic and everyone is very passionate about their individual beliefs. That will not be different here.
The Indiana Borough Police Department stands with everyone in this community in the pursuit of peace, safety, and comfort. We stand against people who want to hurt other people, we stand against criminal intent, we stand against things that make our families
less safe – and there is no singular perspective on any topic that will guarantee ongoing or widespread safety success for our residents.
Trust= Safety. People need to trust that we do what is lawfully expected and what is morally right. To some both are synonymous. To others they are not. It will be impossible to please everyone with every decision we need to make and we are not perfect. Our differences of opinion and places of birth don’t make us less safe. Anger, frustration, anxiety, hate, fear, criminal activity- and those with harmful intent- make us less safe.
This is why maintaining peace, safety, and comfort is so important.
We have tremendous community partners and we have tremendous law enforcement partners. All of them have been necessary for our overall safety effort. It is not safe to ignore criminal activity and it is not safe for anyone to be in fear of us – unless they are engaged in criminal activity.
We have a sound internal policy on the topic of immigration violations that I believe is in line with community expectations of public safety. We also have sound internal policy on investigating hate, unbiased policing, building positive community relationships, using force only when de-escalation can’t be accomplished while also being required to intervene when force is identified as inappropriate, and receiving citizen complaints. These things don’t make us less safe or incapable of protecting you. On the contrary, they make us better able to serve you and keep us all safer.
We intend to be the same community focused police department tomorrow as we are today and as we have been. We are not asking our elected officials for mandates to support immigration enforcement efforts and we are not asking our elected officials for mandates that prohibit working with our federal partners on matters of crime and safety. We are asking only for continued trust in our well established service approach.
Because I do not believe we can maintain peace and comfort without communicating more directly and specifically about what our community can expect from us on the topic of immigration violations I submit the following:
1. Contacting or being contacted by IBPD will not automatically lead to an immigration inquiry.
2. We are committed to public safety, equal enforcement of laws, and non-discrimination.
3. If someone already lawfully detained is found to have committed a criminal violation of federal immigration law we will seek guidance from immigration officials on how to proceed.
4. We will not detain someone for a civil violation of federal immigration law.
5. We will serve our community proactively with efforts capable of community wellbeing and peacekeeping and that effort will look the same if a specific request for assistance is or is not made by federal partners.
6. We have no practice tracking immigration status and follow the law regarding the flow of information into and out of the police department to federal officials.
7. In all things we will remain a community focused and specifically tailored police service effort always acting to foster community wellbeing- never against.
Regardless of immigration status there must be confidence in IBPD. Victims must call the police. Medical emergencies must be reported. The hesitancy of any person to contact us out of fear makes everyone less safe. A persons immigration status did not rise to the level of an emergency within Indiana Borough in years past and a persons immigration status does not rise to the level of an emergency within Indiana Borough today. Our professional mindset is to remain strategically flexible, transparent, highly skilled, and compassionate in our delivery of service.
The images I watch on national news are terrible. I do not want that here. I also don’t want us to turn against each other if a federal investigation arrives here. I also don’t want us to fear the unknown from each other. Our experience can and should be different. Emotion may be high, but mutual trust, respect, and support of each other can remain. In those moments I will make myself immediately available to you, willing to listen and give my professional best. We will always be wall
This message won’t be able to address every question or circumstance that may arise. When opportunities to provide clarity on specific details exist, we will use them.
I understand why this conversation is necessary. IBPD officers will need your trust and ongoing support to succeed. We are here now, we won’t leave you through any moment in time, and we will be with you after.
We are proud to be part of a vibrant and diverse community.
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