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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 9 OcTOber 2018

Investigation looks into stops

of Latinos on LA-area highway

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The made up of four white and police procedures," he
Los Angeles County inspec- male deputies. said.
tor general is investigat- "It's deeply concerning that Inspector General Max
ing whether sheriff's depu- racial profiling could have Huntsman declined to
ties racially profiled drivers been used on Latino driv- comment on the scope of
when they stopped thou- ers," Solis said in a state- the review or how long it
sands of innocent Latinos in ment. would take.
search of drugs on a major Officials with the sheriff's Sheriff's officials said the
freeway, the Los Angeles department have denied enforcement team was
Times reported Monday. racial profiling and say they formed in response to a In this June 27, 2018, file photo, Los Angeles County Sheriff Jim
The investigation began stop people based on their rash of drug overdoses in McDonnell talks to reporters at the Hall of Justice in Los Angeles.
after the newspaper re- driving and other impartial the Santa Clarita area. Associated Press
ported that 69 percent of factors. The team's four depu-
drivers who were stopped Sheriff Jim McDonnell said ties typically work alone of those drivers had their sight Commission and for-
between 2012 and 2017 as he's proud of the team's in marked SUVs in an area vehicles searched, cars mer supervisor in the district
part of an enforcement op- work, which includes seiz- of Interstate 5 that spans belonging to all other driv- attorney's office, said she
eration on Interstate 5 were ing 3,500 pounds (1,588 ki- roughly 40 miles (64 kilome- ers were searched less than was "horrified" by the num-
Latino. lograms) of drugs and res- ters) of freeway from just half the time. bers and expects the com-
Two-thirds of the Latinos cuing six victims of human south of Santa Clarita to The Times reported that mission to discuss the issue
stopped by the Los An- trafficking. the border with Kern Coun- deputies found drugs or when it meets next month.
geles County sheriff's Do- McDonnell said he looks ty. The freeway, deputies other illegal items in the County Supervisor Kathryn
mestic Highway Enforce- "forward to working closely say, is a pipeline for cartels vehicles of Latino drivers at Barger, whose district in-
ment Team had their cars with the inspector general to move drugs up the West a rate that was not signifi- cludes the stretch of free-
searched, a rate far higher to examine any issues of Coast and return to Mexico cantly higher than that of way patrolled by the sher-
than other racial groups, concern." with cash and guns. black or white drivers. iff's team, praised the unit's
the newspaper reported. "As someone who has Analyzing data from ev- On the same section of efforts to remove drugs and
County Supervisor Hilda So- dedicated my career to ery traffic stop recorded freeway, California High- help victims of human traf-
lis said the report "warrants protecting the civil rights of by the enforcement team way Patrol officers pulled ficking.
a deeper investigation" all people, I am personally from 2012 through the end over nearly 378,000 drivers "However, no innocent indi-
and asked the inspector concerned about any alle- of 2017, the Times found for traffic violations, and 40 viduals should be subjected
general and a civilian over- gation of racial and ethnic that 69 percent of the 9,000 percent were Latino. to unreasonable targeting
sight commission to review profiling and take very seri- stops were of Latino driv- Lael Rubin, a member of or unconstitutional search
the enforcement team, ously questions about race ers. And while two-thirds the Sheriff Civilian Over- and seizure," she said.q

Remains of World War II who died in France returned to Iowa

THOMPSON, Iowa (AP) — who was buried at a cem- veterans at an American few months ago saying said. Iowa Army National
The remains of a U.S. soldier etery in Thompson, the Ma- Battle Monuments Commis- that her uncle's remains guard members gave a
who died fighting in World son City Globe Gazette sion site in France. His grave had been identified. folded American flag from
War II have been returned reported. Brown joined was marked unknown in "It was a surprise," she said. Brown's casket to his niece,
to his native Iowa more the Army in 1942 and died the Normandy American Sorensen was among more Alison Conrad.
than 70 years after he was two years later when his Cemetery for decades, but than 80 people who at- "I regret that no one from his
buried as an unknown at tank was destroyed by his remains were dug up tended the Saturday cer- generation could see this,"
an American military cem- enemy fire near Camber- last year for research on sol- emony, where American Conrad said. "It's an amaz-
etery in France. non, France. He was 24 at diers missing from combat flags lined the cemetery ing an important event for
Iowa Army National Guard the time and his remains after his family members driveway. our family to experience.
members fired a 21-gun sa- couldn't be identified. submitted DNA for testing. "What was emotional for What a country we live in
lute on Saturday to honor Brown's name was record- Brown's niece, Joyce So- me was seeing the honor, that wants to never let a
Army Pvt. Donald Brown, ed alongside other missing rensen, received a call a the show of patriotism," she soldier get left behind."q