W-S Police Has New Armored Vehicle

Winston-Salem Police Has New Armored Vehicle

I sent this information August of 2010. It concerns how our Police Department received funds from Homeland Security and quietly implemented an immigrant ID program.

There was an article in the Winston-Salem Journal Tuesday July 27th, 2010 page A1 and A4, titled: "Forsyth Will Check Immigration Status-Sheriff and Police Chief Back Federal Program". The name of the program is Secure Communities. It is designed to identify illegal immigrants by using fingerprints from arrests. The author of this article is Anonymous.

This program which is quietly being implemented by our sheriff and police departments is similar to the one in Arizona, but with a little more bite. It wil promote racial profiling in our city and county.
It is not known if this program came before city or county representatives before its implementation.

If many of you had watched the news at that time, you would have seen the quiet introduction of the new armored vehicle that our police department has received; also from the funds of Homeland Security. I do not know whom the police plan to use this armored vehicle against unless it is in coordination with the immigrant program implemented in August 2010. Regardless, it is unclear at this point why the police department felt the need to have such a vehicle in Winston-Salem, but it looks as if they are preparing for an invasion or a riot.
However, the last riot in Winston-Salem of that magnitude occurred over 40 years ago when a young black man was killed on Liberty Street. The National Guard was enacted and brought their own tanks. So why does the police need an armored vehicle, and with whom are the police going to make war; and why has the City Council not publicly addressed this issue with the community?
I have revisited this issue because it seems to have gone under the news radar and it is something extremely important for us and our community to be concerned about and remain observant to these changes from our legal authorities in Winston-Salem. We must also remain vigilent and hold accountable not only our elected officials, but also those who are to "Protect and to Serve".

Chenita Johnson, President
AAC FCDP-JBB