Re-start MCSD cultural exchange?

The morning's Northwest Herald carried an article about plans of MCSD Sheriff Nygren to re-start a cultural exchange program between McHenry County deputies and police in Zacatecas, Mexico.

While the article didn't explain it, the city of Zacatecas is one of 58 municipalities, and the capital city, in the state of Zacatecas, in Mexico. It is in the center of western Mexico.

The secondary headline was the "Potential violence stalled police swap."

What has changed in Mexico except that the violence is worse? The drug gangs are killing government officials and police. Why should our local law enforcement officers be subjected unnecessarily to such harm? How could that idea even catch a fresh breath of air, except that Nygren must be looking for an excuse for an all-expenses-paid trip to Mexico before December 1st.

And what if a Mexican officer is harmed in McHenry County? Do we foot the bill for that? Such an officer would not be allowed to lawfully carry a gun here? But, is he allowed to carry? Were they allowed to carry when they were here on prior trips?

Said Nygren, according to the article, "The program is alive and well; it's just on hold right now because it's just not wise right now." I guess he really means that the program is not alive and well, because right now there isn't any program. It's on the shelf. And on the shelf, it should stay.

Is this how it works? Officers from Mexico come to McHenry County, ride around with deputies for a few days, and go back to Zacatecas and Guadalupe and tell all the citizens, "If you go north to Woodstock (or the U.S.), don't drive on the shoulder, and stop at stop signs." Is that what they do? I seriously doubt it.

If MCSD deputies see a driver passing on the shoulder or running through a stop sign, then they should ticket the driver. Period. Yes, understanding the culture of foreigners is important. And obeying the traffic laws of the country in which you are driving is important.

And if the driver doesn't speak English, doesn't have a driver's license or valid registration or insurance and doesn't have any documentation of legal authority to be in the United States, then he is going to have an even bigger problem.

I don't buy Jose Rivera's position for a minute.

He won't continue to carry any special ID or (Special Advisor to the Sheriff?) business card from the McHenry County Sheriff's Department after December 1. In fact, any such card ought to be pulled right now. What legal obligation does McHenry County incur, if Rivera flashes his County "identification" at someone? Has the State's Attorney ruled on that one?