Stanton: Phoenix ready to enforce SB 1070 despite disagreement
Sep 5, 2012, 5:08 PM
The city of Phoenix is prepared to enforce the so-called “show me your papers” portion of SB 1070 despite the mayor’s personal disagreements, Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton said Wednesday.
“When the Supreme Court ruling came down, our police chief directly addressed it and he said ‘In Phoenix, we’re going to follow the law as we should, but we’re going to do it in a way that ensures that people’s civil rights are protected,'” Stanton told News/Talk 92.3 KTAR’s Mac & Gaydos.
Stanton said Phoenix Police Chief Daniel Garcia and his officers are ready for the implementation of the law because they’ve been trained for it.
Though his city is ready for it, Stanton said he doesn’t personally agree with SB 1070.
“I think [SB] 1070 is bad public policy,” he said. “I don’t think the state legislature should be telling Phoenix police how to do their job.”
Stanton said he believes the new judgement will move through the court system, again forcing the Supreme Court to rule on the law.
Stanton was interviewed while he was in North Carolina attending the Democratic National Convention and said he was well received, despite a lot of negative press surrounding his state.
“We have had more than our fair share of national publicity and international publicity, but I believe it’s time that Phoenix and Arizona get ourselves out of the news for being on the extreme end of any public policy and get back to business,” he said.
Instead of focusing in on making a statement, Stanton said he wants the state to focus in on job creation, the budget and education.
“Extremism really isn’t who Arizona is,” he said. “There have been some bills that have been passed that have gotten lots of publicity, but most people in Arizona, we’re normal. We like people. We like diversity.”
