The court-ordered monitors assigned to address Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office’s racial profiling violations spoke in Fountain Hills.

Presenters also included MCSO, ACLU, and the public attended (none secretly bussed in!).

I won’t call out individuals, but if self-appointed spokespeople reacting with fear were pressed to verify before their fabrications were accepted, justice would be better-served.

MCSO defenders disrupted, provoked, veered off into irrelevant directions, and then shamelessly distorted the event:

• They recklessly labeled Native American Yaqui Tribe members from Mexico visiting our community “illegal,” using inflammatory terms like “invasion”;

• They reported that Latinos recorded license plates when in fact an attendee said MCSO was taking them down (unsubstantiated);

• When a resident commented it was intimidating criticizing MCSO, they made her point by yelling, calling out, “That’s so stupid”;

• A persistent but calm questioner was shouted down by these same MCSO supporters, with further demonstrations including a standing ovation;

• One supporter gave a speech, another demeaned our Marshals, saying they couldn’t handle law enforcement, inferring that only now are we safe. Again with the fear-mongering. Was there any proof of threats? A Spanish-speaking officer present said there were none.

The paper described the attendees as “protestors” brought by “La Puente,” immediately followed by a quote from one of them (identified as “La Puente’s” leader but hasn’t been for years) literally saying they didn’t come to protest.

Per AP, the monitor was charged with carrying out the community engagement requirement after MCSO opposed holding meetings and working with a community advisory board.

Recently, Town Council asked MCSO for better communication. Perhaps if MCSO had notified council, some could’ve attended.

It seemed MCSO’s supporters were there to protest what was already court-determined … unconstitutional law enforcement…instead of legitimately trying to understand the implementation of the corrective actions MCSO appears to be in. Help us all move forward together.