The Phoenix Police Department may be dramatically changing how officers handle the encounters with undocumented immigrants, a draft police policy document shared with law enforcement and community stakeholders, states.

Ken Crane, president of the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association, worries about the department's proposed changes, starting with crossing "enforcement" out of the title. "It was leading us down the path of sanctuary cities policies, which is something we definitely need to stay away from," Crane said.

Phoenix's old policy was crossed out in the draft obtained and added in, a requirement for all officers wanting to call ICE federal immigration agents to funnel all requests through a single Phoenix police supervisor.

"They're gonna put so many restrictions on you and so many hoops you've got to jump through that it makes you, just the average street cop, throw up their hands and say, 'Screw it, not even worth it.'"

"This policy now reaffirms that school resource officers will not ask students or parents on campus for their documentation, for their papers," Puente Executive Director Carlos Garcia said.

"We're trying to fix something that ain't broke," Crane said.

Garcia says the draft policy is a good step, but even more needs to change.

"As long as police and immigration act together, our community will not trust the police department and will continue to see people being deported, families being separated and more distrust in our community with the police," Garcia said.

By Premji