Wednesday 8-18

From this morning's paper:

Howard Fischer Capitol Media Services | Posted: Wednesday, August 18, 2010 12:00 am 

PHOENIX - Border Patrol officers are being told by supervisors to stay out of certain areas as too dangerous, Cochise County's top law enforcement officer said Tuesday. "Agents have told me - this isn't secondhand - that there are places where they don't work right along the border because it's too dangerous," Sheriff Larry Dever said, adding that line officers told him they are simply listening to what they are told by their superiors."There is concern at the management level, at a certain level, that it's too dangerous right there on the fence," Dever explained. And he said there also is the fear of getting into a confrontation with illegal immigrants and smugglers right along the border that would create an "international incident … with across-the-border shooting."Keith Bocharski, a vice president of the union representing area Border Patrol officers, said supervisors do tell staffers to use caution. And he said there are times individual agents decide not to try to apprehend someone right at the border.But Bocharski, of Local 2544 of the National Border Patrol Council, rejected any assertion there is a policy, official or otherwise, of declaring certain areas unsafe."That's the type of work that we do. It's inherently dangerous," Bocharski continued. But, he said, "I haven't known one person to avoid that." That was confirmed by Lloyd Easterling, spokesman for U.S. Customs and Border Protection. "To be 100 percent clear, no such order has been given," he said in a written response. "And any assertions to the contrary are false." Easterling acknowledged officers may be advised to make tactical decisions about their activities in given areas. "Situations may exist where an immediate capture in close proximity to the border is not always prudent due to terrain limitations and response time constraints," he said. "For example, agents may choose to stage their vehicles in a position that gives them a better chance to actually pursue individuals entering the U.S. illegally," Easterling explained. And he said it isn't always necessary to go after people right at the border.But he bristled at any contention that certain areas are considered off-limits."Our agents and officers put their lives on the line every day," he said. "This is not a cadre of men and women who avoid areas that are too dangerous."
Dever stressed he wasn't saying there was a general order issued. In fact, the sheriff said, the directions given to officers vary from location to location. "It's not every Border Patrol manager," he said. "It's not every place along the border." As far as creating an international incident goes, Bocharski said there are constraints on what Border Patrol officers can do.
"Somebody can be standing in Mexico and throw a rock or even gunfire with immunity, basically," he explained. "There's nothing that we can do to apprehend the person in Mexico other than calling Mexican authorities," Bocharski continued. "So whenever you're close to the border there's always a chance of some type of violence." He stressed, though, that agents are still on the border, even "miles from town." Dever said he wouldn't identify specific areas that are considered off-limits to officers. "I probably shouldn't go there," he said, because pointing out specific locations would identify the officers who are assigned to those areas, which could get them in trouble for talking about the instructions.