(Photo by Alexandra Olgin-KJZZ)

Phoenix Police Chief Daniel Garcia and Mexican Consulate General Roberto Rodriguez Hernandez.

Alexandra Olgin/KJZZ

The Consulado General de Mexico building in Phoenix.

Mexicans and Arizonans are joining together to fight crime in Phoenix. The Mexican Consulate and Phoenix Police Department are starting a program to improve lines of communication with the Latino community. The program will include seminars and information for the Mexican American community about prevention, protection and reporting crime.

Phoenix Police Chief Daniel Garcia said this program is about making Phoenix safer, not about immigration.

“There are many areas in the city of Phoenix that need good policing. Bottom line good policing," Garcia said "There are narcotic issues, there are property crime issues, and there are violent crime issues. We cannot stay stuck on Senate bill 1070."

That is the controversial measures Arizona lawmakers passed in 2010. Parts of it that have been struck down by the courts required police to determine the immigration status of a person arrested based on  reasonable suspicion. Immigrants’ rights groups said the only way to build trust with the Latino community is to stop handing over people to Immigrations and Customs Enforcement.