About three weeks after critics of Escondido's driver's license checkpoints asked the city's police chief to end the crackdowns or resign, his supporters staged a large rally Thursday in front of City Hall.

Driver's license checkpoints are a controversial topic in Escondido.

The checkpoints have long been criticized by Latino activists who say they disproportionately affect their community. That is because illegal immigrants, many of whom are Latinos, are barred by state law from having driver's licenses.

But supporters like those at the rally Thursday afternoon reject such criticism and point to the city's reduction in hit-and-run crashes, which dropped by a third in Escondido between 2004 and 2008. The checkpoints started in 2004.

"Let's save lives," said rally organizer Patricia Bennett, who in 2007 formed a grassroots group called Citizens of Escondido for Road Safety.

"That's the focus," Bennett continued. "Anybody who tries to make it more than that, I am very angry with. ... How can you argue with traffic safety?"

Thursday's turnout ---- more than 150 people showed up ---- was more than three times larger than the March 26 protest at the same spot calling for Escondido Police Chief Jim Maher to resign.

A number of the checkpoint supporters stood at the corner of Broadway Avenue and Valley Parkway waving signs ---- drawing honks, cheers and a few thumbs-up from passersby of all colors.

Maher showed up near the end of the rally and, using a bullhorn, thanked the crowd.

"It's not often, but I did recently read something in the paper that was true," Maher said, drawing laughter. "It said that the checkpoints are dividing the community ---- and I agree. They're dividing the licensed drivers from the unlicensed drivers."

The crowd broke into cheers and applause.

"That's why we do them," Maher continued. "The only reason we do them: to keep the streets safer. And I want to remind everybody, especially the people that rally against the checkpoints, that when we do them, we make the streets safer for them, too."

In an effort to reduce the number of hit-and-run crashes, the Police Department conducts dozens of checkpoints each year.

The department conducts two kinds of checkpoints, one aimed primarily at nabbing unlicensed drivers, the other at catching drunken drivers.

The checkpoints solely targeting unlicensed drivers are the most troublesome to some Latino activists, who say the operations are really traps intended to ensnare illegal immigrants ---- a charge vigorously denied by police officials and their supporters.

"This is about enforcing the laws," Escondido resident Roy Knight, 54, said, adding that support for the checkpoints did not have an undercurrent of anti-immigration sentiment. "This isn't anti anybody."

Escondido resident Diane Snyder, 66, and her husband held a large, professionally printed sign in support of Maher.

"I was born and raised in this community, and I want it to be as safe as possible," Diane Snyder said. "They have my full support."

Many of the checkpoint supporters ---- some of them wearing red, white and blue clothing ---- said they planned to head to the Tea Party rally up the street after the hourlong event in support of Maher.

Among them were Garth and Judy Carle, who said taxes spent to enforce the law was money well spent.

"That's one area we don't mind our tax money going to," Judy Carle said.

Call staff writer Teri Figueroa at 760-740-5442.