PROVIDENCE -- More than a dozen advocacy and civil-rights groups yesterday criticized the state police for leaving "unanswered questions" about a July traffic stop during which a state trooper allegedly threatened 14 Guatemalan immigrants.

The groups took issue with the exoneration of Trooper Thomas Chabot, who was cleared this month by an internal state police investigation. A complaint filed by the Rhode Island Affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union prompted the investigation.

"The state police response has been wholly inadequate. We are here to say it has created distrust" in the Latino community, said Ellen Gallagher, community organizer for the International Institute of Rhode Island.

Steven Brown, RIACLU executive director, said the groups will push for legislation next year to "restrict the circumstances under which state and local police could seek to enforce immigration law," and to strengthen current state laws against racial profiling.

The concern, said Brown, "is not just about one incident," but about "practices and procedures" of all local and state police regarding immigration enforcement.

Brown said those same concerns apply to the Sept. 16 arrest of seven Mexican nationals by Charlestown police for alleged disorderly conduct, and the police demand for "valid U.S. identification."

Yesterday's news conference at the Center for Hispanic Policy & Advocacy centered on the July 11 traffic stop on Route 95 southbound in Richmond. Chabot said he stopped the van because the driver failed to signal a lane change. When the driver and 13 occupants could not produce immigration documents, Chabot called federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement authorities.

The 14, who now face deportation, allege that Chabot threatened to shoot or kill them if they tried to escape the van on its way to ICE headquarters in Providence.

State Police Supt. Steven M. Pare said an in-car video of the traffic stop showed that the stop was "non-confrontational."

But the videotape captured just five minutes of what Chabot's report described as a 70-minute traffic stop. Pare said the tape ran out, by accident.

Gallagher, of the International Institute, questioned why the video has only been shown to "a select few individuals."

Two people who have seen the video -- executive director Ramon Martinez of Progreso Latino and Juan Garcia, community organizer for the Immigrants in Action Committee of St. Teresa Church -- said the audio portion is, at times, inaudible.

Garcia also said Chabot does not tell the driver or its occupants why he stopped the van. Pare said the video does show Chabot explaining why he stopped the van.

Pare has denied several requests by the ACLU for a copy of the video; he has also denied a Journal request to see the video.

"Even though the case has been closed, I'm not going to release it. It's not public record pursuant to our policy, and my major concern is setting a precedent in releasing these audio and videotapes of car stops to the public," Pare said.

kziner@projo.com / (401) 277-7375