NLPOA Invited to Washington
Washington, D.C. - On July 26, 2002, National Latino Peace
Officers Association (NLPOA) President
Jose Miramontes (center) was invited to
Washington, D.C. by the Office of the White House, to discuss the new
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and its impact on Hispanics.
Pictured on the left is the new TSA Under Secretary James M. Loy and on the
right is Norman Mineta, Secretary of the Transportation Department. NLPOA
President Miramontes will return to Washington, D.C. to a meeting in August to
review and discuss the hiring of qualified Hispanics within the TSA and
throughout the United States.
Admiral Loy was named Acting Under Secretary of Transportation for Security in
July 2002. Admiral Loy assumed management and leadership of the new federal
agency, formed by the Aviation Transportation Security Act, which is charged
with providing security for the traveling public and for all commercial
transportation.
Washington, D.C. - On July 26, 2002, Jose Miramontes (r), President of The
National Latino Peace Officers Association (NLPOA) and National LPOA board
member Felipe A. Ortiz (L) met with Juan Carlos Benitez, Special Counsel for
Immigration, Related Unfair Employment Practices, U.S. Department of Justice,
Civil Rights Division. The NLPOA was created in 1972 and has been fighting for
the civil rights of Hispanics throughout the United States. The Civil Rights
Division within the Department of Justice is responsible for investigating
complaints of unfair employment practices. The Honorable Juan Carlos Benitez is
committed to investigating all complaints and bring all of the resources of the
Department of Justice in order to secure fair treatment. The National Latino
Peace Officers Association will be working closely with the Civil Rights
Division to ensure further dissemination of this valuable agency.
Message from the President, Jose Miramontes
Recently the National Latino Peace Offices Association was
invited to
the White House for a briefing on Homeland Security. After the
Presidents address, Felipe Ortiz (NLPOA Historian), and myself met with
Senator Liberman, Tom Ridge- Secretary Homeland Security, Norman Mineta
- Secretary of Transportation, Admiral Loy newly appointed to Secretary
of the Transportation Security Administration, Tony Ruiz from Texas who
is the President of the National Association of Counties and James K.
Kallstrom, former Assistant Director of the FBI and currently Senior
Advisor for Counter Terrorism for the Office of the Governor, State of
New York and John W. Scanlon-Director Office of Public Security New York
State. After leaving the White House area we met with the Honorable Juan
Carlos Benitez, Special Counsel for Immigration and Unfair Labor
Practices for the Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division. The
reception we received by the Honorable Benitez was overwhelming and
beneficial to the NLPOA during which time he offered his assistance. We
also met with Byron Wong who has been instrumental in coordinating the
Alliance of National Minority Law Enforcement Association, as well as
Jason Abend from Law Enforcement Jobs who has been assisting the NLPOA
in Washington, D.C.
On August 4, 2002, I returned to Washington, D.C. for a scheduled
meeting with the Transportation Security Administration. Prior to the
meeting Mr. Jason Abend and myself met with Louis Quijas, Assistant
Director of the FBI and former NLPOA President. Asst. Director Quijas
agreed to be a luncheon Speaker at our upcoming conference in San Diego.
We also met with the Director of the FBI, Robert Mueller. We informed
the Director the NLPOA was ready to take the lead in the recruitment of
Latinos within the Bureau. Our reception with the Director was very well
received.
We also met with Jose Acosta, Assistant Chief, Metropolitan Police in
D.C., who is the highest ranking Latino, in the department, in an effort
to initiate a Chapter in the D.C. area. Later, we met with Angela Maria
Arboleda, Civil Rights Policy Analyst, National Council de la Raza and
reviewed Racial Profiling as it affects our current status on Terrorism,
as well as funding opportunities.
Subsequently we attended the Transportation Security Administration
meeting with the Alliance of Minority Law Enforcement Association along
with the Women in Law Enforcement Association. At this meeting I
personally submitted all the names of individuals who had sent their
resumes to the TSA and requested I submit their names to the TSA for
consideration.
In addition to the above I gave promotional NLPOA merchandise to
representatives at the White House in our continuing effort to promoting
the NLPOA.
During both trips we also took the opportunity to search for a Hotel to
hold our 2003 National Training Conference in Washington, D.C. The
Washington Court Hotel located two blocks from Union Station, the
Capital Hilton located near the White House and a block from the Metro
Station and the Marriott, not in the heart of D.C. but two blocks from
the Metro Station. We are continuing to negotiate the best possible room
rate. We will probably hold the conference during the last week in
October 2003. It appears that these dates will give us a better room
rate. I can assure you that having this conference in D.C. certainly has
its importance for the future of the NLPOA. We will be inviting numerous
Politicians including the President of the United States. Director
Mueller has already agreed to attend. Please convey to your members the
importance of this attendance to visit our Nations Capital. Every
American should tour our Nation's Capital at least once in their
lifetime. There are an abundance of places to visit. More information
on the Hotel accommodations to follow.
Thanking you for your continued support:
Jose Carlos Miramontes
National President