Original Article Police begin day-laborer crackdown Justin Juozapavicius The Arizona Republic Jul. 27, 2005 12:00 AM MESA - Police have handed out 16 citations to day laborers and contractors in the past week and a half as part of an aggressive campaign by law enforcement and business owners to stop workers from congregating near Broadway and Gilbert roads. Although officers can cite laborers and contractors for trespassing anywhere in the city, it is unknown how frequently that is being done in other parts of Mesa. "The message is getting out there," said Lt. Steve Stahl, speaking at a day-labor meeting Tuesday with business owners, landlords and residents in the area. "We plan on being here as long as you want us to be." The meeting inside Ned's Krazy Sub, in a strip mall at the southeastern corner of Broadway and Gilbert, was the third since Councilman Mike Whalen pledged to meet weekly until a solution on how to fix the problem is brought before the City Council. That corner, considered ground zero for the city's day-labor explosion, is part of a changing demographic that saw the city's Hispanic population reach more than 100,000 in 2003, according to census figures. Two years ago, officials tried to combat the same problem at the same corner, ticketing 22 day laborers and warning hundreds more about trespassing on private property. But the problem quickly returned. Now, some are hoping that citation fines up to $500 and 30 days in jail will offer more of a deterrent than the neon-yellow signs reading "Day Labor Pick-Up Prohibited" staked in front of businesses.