LAPD Chief Supports Driver's Licenses For Illegal Immigrants

Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck told the Los Angeles Times he supports giving driver's licenses to illegal immigrants as a way to increase safety on the roads.

During an interview with the Times editorial board, Chief Beck said the licenses would also help officers identify who they encounter at vehicle stops and accident scenes.

The license "could be a provisional license, it could be a nonresident license," according to Chief Beck, who also acknowledged that state officials would have to find ways to address widely held concerns that offering licenses to people in the country illegally could make it easier for terrorists go undetected.