[Shawnee123]

Take a border state wrestling with the effects of a surge of illegal immigrants. Add Sheriff Arpaio and his unorthodox, well-chronicled brand of law enforcement — he forces male and female inmates to wear pink underwear, among other often-questioned tactics. And watch the sparks fly.

"I have compassion for the Mexican people, but if you come here illegally you are going to jail," said Sheriff Arpaio, an elected Republican, whose county is the fourth most populous in the country and among the fastest growing.

To avoid suggestions that deputies practice racial profiling, the sheriff has ordered them to find probable cause, usually a minor traffic infraction, before pulling over suspect vehicles.

I can make up 10 probable causes right now. My word against the other guy.

To people who say round up more illegal immigrants, Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County here has an answer: send out the posse.

On Wednesday, the posse, a civilian force of 300 volunteers, many of them retired deputies, are to fan out over desert backcountry, watching for smugglers and the people they guide into these parts.

That's the Night the Lights Went Out in Arizona, right?

The deputies, meanwhile, continue their patrols. Normally, Deputy Chris Scott spends his days kicking in doors and barreling through houses, serving search warrants and performing the other high-energy tasks of a special weapons and tactics officer. But before dawn one morning this week, on "illegal immigrant interdiction" patrol, Deputy Scott saw a pickup with a broken tail light drift over the center line of a desolate road near Gila Bend. He flicked on the emergency lights of his unmarked sport utility vehicle and pulled over the pickup.

Barely mentioning the reason for the stop — state law prohibits driving over the center line or with a broken light — he peppered the driver and five passengers with questions: "Licencias?" "You have identification?" "These guys work with you very long?"

After several backup deputies arrived, they determined that the men were not being smuggled, although some appeared to be here illegally and were turned over to the Border Patrol.

"I think word is getting out, and they are skirting around us," Deputy Scott said later as he cruised without finding much suspicious activity.

Hahahahahaaaa...I don't know what's funnier, this asshat saying "Ohhhh, now they're onto us" when it's probably just the way it always is (but which doesn't make for good publicity) or the fact that, if what he says is true, he's admitting that they've already thwarted the law!

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/10/us/10smuggle.html