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(Photo courtesy Mauricio Gonzalez)
Police Chief Austin Swing and Detective Sgt. Jason Williams offered those services during a three-hour meeting of Hispanic businesses owners and operators at St. William Catholic Church and the police encouraged greater cooperation between their people.
"Crime is no longer a police problem, but one of the people," said Maury Gonzalez, one of the people who organized the gathering which is to be repeated April 25 at the church.
Approximately 40 people attended, according to Gonzalez, a reporter for the Spanish language newspaper El Paisno who made arrangements and distributed fliers in Spanish in addition to his work as a journalist.
Hispanic store robberies here, in Murfreesboro, Nashville and other Middle Tennessee cities were a topic of concern for this second meeting of Hispanic businessmen and women in Shelbyville, he said.
A series of home invasions targeting Hispanic homes in Shelbyville nearly a year ago were apparently solved with the arrest of three men and their cases were concluded with guilty pleas.
Nevertheless, "They were concerned about interaction with police; concerned about being robbed," Police Chief Austin Swing said yesterday. "I explained to them that they could get a police escort to the bank like any other business.
"Now, they know to ask," Swing said. "I explained to them that my door is open. All they have to do is call.
"I explained the biggest problem we have is communication, that there are translators and interpreters, but that people don't come to us and tell us" of their concerns, the chief said.
The meeting had a few brief mentions of Fermin Estrada, the Hispanic businessman who was shot to death by a Shelbyville police officer on Saturday afternoon as police responded to a report of shots being fired in the city.
One woman asked Swing if it was legal to have a brochure asking for donations for the Estrada family and a collection jar for donations at store counters, the police chief said, adding he replied that doing so is legal.
The money being collected is to help pay for Estrada's funeral.
Estrada's store in Murfreesboro has been robbed, said Gonzalez, adding that he'd spoken with Estrada about a day before the merchant was killed. He was looking forward to attending the meeting.
"He wanted to make changes in Shelbyville," Gonzalez said.
"I guess," said Ezequiel Estrada, one of four sons of the slain merchant, "what we need are more Hispanic leaders in office."
His older brother, William, added, "Councilmen or Hispanic lawyers, influential people. Maybe that will help us and other Hispanic people in town ...
"But now," William Estrada said, "our main concern is to get through with the funeral."
Hillcrest Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements leading to services at 11 this morning at St. William Catholic Church and burial in Willow Mount Cemetery. Visitation was 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. yesterday.
Arrangements for Tuesday night's meeting of Hispanic businesses were being made well-before Estrada was shot.
Frank Guzman, special projects coordinator for the Tennessee Human Rights Commission, spoke at the meeting, but said Chief Swing and Det. Williams were the most significant participants.
"We were there to present services that we can provide and do what we can to ease fears, as far as businesses that have been victims of crimes," Williams said.
Why police want so much information after a crime was explained, he said.
"The more they tell us, the more police can do," Williams said.
The detective acknowledged some Hispanics may be concerned about speaking with police if they're illegal immigrants, "But if you are here and if you are a victim, you won't be treated any differently from anyone else who has been a victim of crime.
"We're not immigration officers."
As for why Hispanics might have been targeted by criminals, he explained that when that part of Shelbyville's population started to grow, many didn't have bank accounts and therefore it was assumed they had cash.
However, Williams noted, "They're still a minority group in town so, statistically, there would be more crime victims among the majority. There is crime in the Hispanic community, but not proportionally different."
Serving as an interpreter for Swing and Williams on Tuesday night was Cindy Reyez who said she's employed as a police radio dispatcher, a records clerk and translator for the Shelbyville Police Department.
"The meeting went very well," said Reyez in a comment that's supported by the state Human Rights Commission official, the chief, the detective and organizers.
"It offered insights to the Hispanic community and to the police department on how we can help each other," Reyez said. "The Hispanic community does want to get involved ...
"Some people did complain about incidents at their jobs," she said of discussions started with Guzman. "And he did advise them, 'This isn't right. You can complain.'"
The Tennessee Human Rights Commission addresses discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodations such as at restaurants and other such services offered to the general population.
"It was a good opportunity to exchange information," Guzman said of the meeting in the Catholic church.
Gonzalez said a similar meeting was held at the police department building on Lane Parkway but only 10 people attended, including Estrada. Having the meeting in a church, instead of a police station, led to greater attendance.
Guzman said the he distributed brochures about the commission, including a complaint form, but he didn't officially receive a complaint Tuesday.
"If I did, I couldn't tell you," he said. "Some people spoke of things [his office can address] but whether they call, I don't know."
The commission is a civil law enforcement agency to enforce laws against discrimination, he said.
"Most of the questions were aimed at the police about security" for businesses, Guzman said. "It was a very positive meeting."
Claudia Ramirez, owner of Azteca Market on Madison Street on Wednesday said she wanted to go to the meeting, but could not because she had other obligations.
"I would like protection on some nights," she said of the prospect of a police escort from her store to the bank. "And I hope the police can pass around this building, just driving slow, just to feel more protection."
Ramirez has worked in Shelbyville for three years, she said. Azteca is her fourth business. She moved here from Indiana where she didn't like the cold weather. She went to Nashville, spoke with a Realtor and was shown properties there, Murfreesboro and here.
"We liked here," she said. "I don't have any complaints about police."
Ramon Pichardo, 39, is the proprietor of Carniceria y Taqueria Aguascalientes Market, 415 Lane Pkwy., where his son, Jose, 9, served as an interpreter for an interview.
"He feels safe [and] we like it here in Shelbyville," Jose Pichardo said. "When they stole from another restaurant, he feels worried ...
"He's fine" about Shelbyville police, the boy said for his father. "Sometimes they come to look around and sometimes to eat."
Swing emphasized, "We're the public servants assigned to enforce the law. We're paid by all the taxpayers, not just a certain group.
"Shelbyville police treat all people the same," the chief said.