Border safety good, and improving says CBP Commissioner:

TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) - Enforcement on the border is good and getting better. That's the word from the commissioner who oversees the Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Reporter: Craig Smith

Posted: Mar 12, 2011 2:46 AM EST

Updated: Mar 12, 2011 2:57 AM EST

Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Alan Bersin understands people are still fearful of border crime but he says border zones are getting safer.

Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Alan Bersin described a huge infusion of agents, technology and aircraft into what he calls the place that's the last stand for the smugglers--the Border Patrol's Tucson sector.

He says successful enforcement to the east and west has pushed the smugglers here but improved enforcement in the sector has driven down activity in the eastern and central portions.

That leaves the western desert as the real hot spot.

It's the same area where Border Patrol agent Brian Terry was gunned down. 9 On Your Side asked Commissioner Bersin about the claim Terry's parents made to us that he may have been set up by corrupt agents.

KGUN9 reporter Craig Smith asked: "Have you looked into allegations of that sort. Has anyone else you know of looked into this allegation and if so, what have they found?"

Bersin: "I have not seen any evidence in support of the notion that Brian Terry was set up, in fact that particular allegation is different from the one that I heard which is supposedly the agents who were out there were not armed to deal with the lethal threat they faced and that they were required to use non lethal force."

Commissioner Bersin says it's not true that agents in Terry's unit were required to fire first with beanbag guns designed to subdue but not kill.

He made it clear all the agents were armed with assault rifles but firing beanbag guns first was their call at that moment.

Tucson sector chief Randy Hill says deploying manpower and equipment in the right places will bring the west desert under control soon.

Chief Hill says, "Joint field command has given us several high level fixed wing reconnaissance aircraft which we're using very effectively at night to spot and track groups as they cross. So I can tell you that this area will come under control this year."

The Chief defines controlling that area as apprehending 100 percent of the illegal border crossers agents see. He says some days they already achieve about 90 percent.

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