by Christie Wisniewski
Despite a remarkable shift in policy plans with the new presidential administration, The Frederick County Sheriff’s Department believes that not much will change in terms of the county’s law enforcement. If anything, they believe that the Trump administration will further aid their cause.
According to Lieutenant Colonel Scot Hopkins, the three largest current issues in Frederick are the heroin crisis, public unrest with police, and diminishing recruit numbers. However, the Sheriff’s Department believes that the Trump administration will help battle those issues.
Still, Hopkins admitted that there is “a lot of unrest” with new president.
“Police are getting shot and there’s growing unrest with police,” he said. “We have to remind deputies that we don’t have what’s happening in other cities.”
Hopkins added that there is also a lack of trust with the government, which doesn’t help the police’s relationship with skeptical citizens.
“We’re the first representative of [the government],” he said. “We have uniforms and guns and that intimidates some people.”
He continued to say that with the new government regime in general, new laws will take effect in October, so it’s too early to find out what exactly will happen. However, Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins has some ideas of what will be focused on during the next four years.
“Getting the criminal element off the street”
Jenkins is a large proponent of the ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) program and has been involved in the 287G Delegation Authority Program for 9 years. The program allows law enforcement agencies to partner with ICE in order to allow officers to perform “certain functions” of immigration enforcement.
“It’s a pretty complex program,” he said.
However, Jenkins clarified multiple times that deputies don’t conduct any immigration enforcement themselves.
“Nothing is done on the street,” Jenkins said. “Everything is after a person is physically arrested for a crime.”
The main focus of ICE is to “get the criminal element off the street”, said Jenkins. A person who is convicted of trespassing is not going to be deported; ICE focuses on those who commit violent crimes or serious felonies.
Jenkins explained that when a person is arrested, they are taken to the Frederick County Adult Detention Center and booked. During the intake process, they are asked several questions, including where they were born and what country they hold citizenship.
“We ask that of everybody,” Jenkins said. “If there’s an answer of anything other than the US, that triggers an immigration status check, and we can determine whether you’re a lawful legal citizen.”
If a person is illegal, authorities prepare a detainer file, which is reviewed by ICE agents. When the person’s sentence is over, they are handed over to ICE, who determines whether they will be deported or not.
“The sheriff does not influence the program,” clarified Jenkins. “We don’t make decisions who is removed…we facilitate a legal due process in our detention center.”
There is also a separate program called the IGSA (Intergovernmental Service Agreement) that allows the detention center to house ICE detainees brought from other areas. According to Jenkins, ICE rents the bed space from the jail.
Both of these programs have come under fire from the ACLU, which has publicly claimed that the programs are unfair because they imprison immigrants who have fled violence in their home countries, according to an ACLU publication. This publication claimed that: “ICE’s aggressive family detention strategy has led to the deaths of children deported to Central America”. Representatives from the local ACLU office did not return a call regarding Jenkins’ claims about strengthening immigration enforcement.
Getting “things back 
on track”
“Immigration enforcement will be a priority of President Trump,” said Jenkins. “However, are we going to see a big impact here in Frederick County? No, because we are involved only within certain authorities. We can only do certain things within our program.”
Jenkins added that the efforts of ICE and Homeland Security may increase, but that will not effect Frederick officers. He doesn’t expect housing in the jail to get busier either, because bed space is limited.
“I think this is going to be a law and order administration,” he said. “There’s a sense that this administration will support law enforcement, generally.”
He added that he expects increased enforcement from the new administration with the war against opioids and heroin.
Overall, Jenkins is optimistic about law enforcement in this new presidential era.
“I think things are going to improve in law enforcement,” he said. “We’re going to have to get a little bit tougher to get things back on track.”
The “worst possible thing”
Jenkins voiced concern with Maryland’s Law Enforcement and Governmental Trust Act, colloquially known as the Sanctuary State Bill. This bill, if passed, would forbid officers and other officials from asking immigration status or collecting data in order to determine a person’s immigration status.
“If that passes, it’ll be the worst possible thing that can be done to law enforcement,” Jenkins said. “What that says is basically they’re going to take away authority of the local government to … have any relationship with ICE. It’s going to really have a negative impact on public safety.”
If passed, Jenkins would lose both the ICE program and the IGSA program.
“Honestly…for every city that declares itself sanctuary, I hope the administration cuts off their money,” he admitted. “Fortunately the governor will stand up and veto this. “
As of April 10, the bill received an unfavorable report from the Senate and has been withdrawn. Maryland Governor Larry Hogan voiced his disgust with the bill and promised to veto it.
“This legislation would interfere with our state and local law enforcement’s ability to cooperate with federal law enforcement authorities,” he said. “I will veto this dangerously misguided legislation the moment that it reaches my desk.”
Will the “wall” affect Frederick?
“The heroin problem and the illegal immigration problem is absolutely interrelated,” said Jenkins. “The DEA will tell you….95 percent of the heroin that’s coming into this country is coming from Mexico.”
Frederick County is a “hub” for heroin and other drugs, according to the Sheriff’s Department. The county is situated in between multiple interstates and is close to so many large cities, which allows for the ease of drug trafficking. Jenkins said that he believes Trump’s border wall will help this situation, “whatever that wall is.”
Jenkins believes that the wall will be more of a metaphorical wall, as opposed to a tangible concrete wall.
“It’s going to be a combination of an elaborate fencing system, along with increased surveillance, drone technology, increased border security patrols, and increased interior enforcement,” he explained. “I really think you’re going to see a reduction of the flow of heroin with it.”