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