By Ana Ceballos
Miami Herald
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida officials want local police officers to report their bosses to the state if they believe they are not fully complying with state immigration directives as part of a broad push to get law enforcement agencies on board with President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.
In a statement issued Tuesday, Florida’s immigration czar Larry Keefe said that “concerned law enforcement officers and employees” can now report any failures by their agencies to the state through the newly created “Law Enforcement Accountability Dashboard.”
“This reporting system will provide a direct channel for officers and employees to report any failure by their agency to comply with Florida’s immigration enforcement policies,” Keefe said. “Let there be no misunderstanding — Florida law will be enforced.”
The dashboard, hosted by a website run by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, is the latest effort by the state to pressure police departments and sheriff’s offices across the state to help the Trump administration identify and deport immigrants who are here illegally.
As of Tuesday, more than 100 Florida police forces have signed up to participate in a federal immigration program that empowers local officers to perform some of the functions of federal immigration agents while they are out policing the communities they have sworn to protect. Those agencies include the police departments in Coral Gables, Key West, Tampa and St. Petersburg.
Keefe’s push to report violations is a signal that state officials will be keeping a close eye on local law enforcement agencies’ compliance with a state law that requires local officials to fully comply with all federal immigration directives.
In his statement, Keefe noted that any official in violation of the law is subject to penalties and judicial proceedings by the attorney general or removal from office by the governor.
According to the website, members of the public can also report “any failures by law enforcement agencies or correctional institutions to comply with Florida’s immigration enforcement policies.” The instructions on the website also suggest the complaints can be anonymous.
“If you choose not to provide your contact information, we will still review your complaint, but our ability to investigate and resolve the issue may be limited,” the website says. “This could potentially result in a delay or inability to effectively address your concerns.”
When someone files a complaint on the dashboard, they are given the opportunity to upload documents, pictures and files and are asked to fill in the blanks for the “violating law enforcement agency or correctional institution” and to provide a summary of their claim.
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