Tucson Police Chief testifies in front of Senate judiciary subcommittee

TUCSON, AZ (Tucson News Now) - Tucson Police Chief Chris Magnus traveled to Washington, D.C. to testify during a Senate judiciary subcommittee meeting on border security and immigration.

During his testimony, Magnus talked about the importance of relationships between local law enforcement and federal agencies, using several different operations during which TPD worked alongside federal partners.

Magnus also stressed the need for a trusting relationship between police and communities. He said Tucson police work to maintain a good relationship with the community but said recent rhetoric and federal crackdown on immigration has impacted it.

“Aggressive federal enforcement including courthouse arrests and other high profile operations terrify not only the undocumented but their American born family friends and coworkers,” Magnus said during his testimony. “As a result, an already marginalized community is less inclined to turn to us, making it much harder to apprehend criminals, and of course when crimes go unreported and unsolved, the cartels go unchecked and increase their power.”

During the testimony, the chief said reducing the demand for drugs is an important part of combating drug trafficking and cartel activity.

He cited a pilot program in Tucson that allows some drug users to get treatment, rather than jail time. Magnus said this program works to help the users get treatment but also reduce the demand for the drugs.

You can read his entire testimony here: https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/meetings/narcos-transnational-cartels-and-border-security

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