Montgomery County Police urge immigrants to report crimes, stressed they do not act as immigration agents
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Summary
Mariela León, spokesperson for the Montgomery County Police Department, told listeners the department does not enforce federal immigration law and urged residents to report crimes to 911 or the non-emergency number (301-279-8000); she described a new MCPD patch to help identify county officers.
Mariela León, a spokesperson for the Montgomery County Police Department, joined the radio program to urge immigrant residents to report crimes and to reassure listeners that county police do not act as immigration agents.
"Nosotros como departamento de policía no aplicamos leyes federales de inmigración," León said on the program, adding that officers will not ask callers about immigration status when responding to incidents. She encouraged residents to use 911 for emergencies and the non-emergency number, 301-279-8000, for non-urgent reports, and said residents may go to any of the county’s six stations and request assistance in Spanish.
León also described changes to officer uniforms intended to make identification easier, pointing to a new patch reading "MCPD Montgomery County Police" and encouraging people to verify badge and identification numbers if they have doubts about an officer's authenticity.
Why it matters: The department’s outreach is intended to build trust and increase reporting of crimes so the county can allocate patrols and resources based on reported need. León said reporting — including repeat reports of the same incident — helps demonstrate the demand for patrols or cameras in particular neighborhoods.
Next steps: León and the host encouraged residents to report crimes, use the listed contact numbers and seek victim-assistance staff in Spanish at any station.
