LA to Profile Muslim Communities

The Los Angeles police have begun a difficult and controversial program to identify and reach out to some of the area’s more insular Muslim communities.

There are an estimated 500,000 Muslims in Los Angeles, Orange and Riverside counties. The Police Department is trying to identify the location of Muslim enclaves to determine which might be susceptible to "violent, ideologically-based extremism," Downing said Thursday. The intent, he said, is to "reach out to those communities," including Pakistanis, Iranians and Chechens.

The ACLU and numerous Muslim organizations, including the controversial Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), have teamed up in opposition to the initiative, however, citing “grave concerns” and comparing it to “racial profiling.”

"Singling out individuals for investigation, surveillance, and data-gathering
based on their religion constitutes religious profiling that is just as
unlawful, ill-advised and deeply offensive as racial profiling," the letter
said.

The general response to the seemingly common-sense proposal has been far less critical, however. And city officials, who plan to meet with Muslim leaders for the first time next week on the program, are glad that at least some potential critics are waiting for more details before drawing final conclusions.

Salam al-Marayati, executive director of the Muslim Public Affairs Council, said
he would withhold judgment until hearing more from police next week.
"Muslims should be treated as partners, not suspects," he said. Chief
William Bratton said the initiative is intended to get officers into
communities, meeting with people and learning the local landscape.

Makes sense to me…but somehow I doubt CAIR will feel the same way.