Thread: AZ: Border Patrol ready if violence crosses border

Border Patrol ready if violence crosses border
Oct. 28, 2008 12:55 PM
Associated Press

TUCSON - The chief of the U.S. Border Patrol's Tucson Sector says there's a response plan ready in case organized crime violence wracking northern Mexico spills over the border.

Chief Robert Gilbert says the patrol has spent the past 18 months planning a response with local sheriff's, police and other state and federal law enforcement agencies.

Gilbert says the plan calls for using the Tucson Sector headquarters as a command center with field commands in Douglas or Nogales, depending on where the violence happens.

Narcotics traffickers have become increasing violent in the past year, with hundreds dead in northern Mexico. Just last week, 10 gunmen were killed in running battles with state police in the city of Nogales, across the border from Nogales, Arizona.

www.azcentral.com

Border Patrol ready if Mexican drug violence enters U.S.

By ARTHUR H. Rotstein
Associated Press
TUCSON — Law enforcement officials are monitoring the organized crime violence wracking northern Mexico and have a response plan ready should it spill over the border, the U.S. Border Patrol’s Tucson Sector chief said Tuesday.

Chief Robert Gilbert said the patrol and other local, state and federal law enforcement agents started planning about 1 1/2 years ago, “and it’s something that we continue to work with everybody’s involvement pretty much.â€