Thread: Governor says border security drive works

Similar to an article posted yesterday but this goes into more detail.

Other article:

http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=F ... t=governor

New article:

http://www.elpasotimes.com/ci_4222969

Crime drop touted
Governor says border security drive works

By Erica Molina Johnson / El Paso Times
El Paso Times

Gov. Rick Perry on Tuesday met with law enforcement leaders from throughout the region and discussed the reduction in crime because of Operation El Paso.
The initiative, undertaken earlier this month, coordinated intelligence from various law enforcement agencies, including sheriff's offices, police departments, FBI, Border Patrol and Drug Enforcement Administration. It reduced crime by as much as 70 percent in some areas, officials said.

"This operation is all about securing the United States-Mexico border in the El Paso area," Perry said at the El Paso County Sheriff's Training Academy on the far East Side. "The success of this operation is inarguable. I hope people on both sides of the border are taking a strong account of what these operations are doing to secure both sides"

Operation El Paso used information gathered from the various agencies to stymie the influx of illegal drugs and other crime in the region.

It was the third operation of its kind; the first two took place in Del Rio and Laredo.

El Paso County Sheriff Leo Samaniego said recent flooding in the area also helped the operation's success.

"Because of the rising of water in the river, there were no illegals coming across," he said.

Operation El Paso and previous operations of its kind have worked, officials said.

"In El Paso County, we have had total reduction of index crimes by 31 percent during the time the operation was going on as compared to the same time last year," Samaniego said.

The crimes included rape, murder, auto theft and burglary. Less serious crimes, such as trespassing, decreased even more, he said.

"The cooperation of all the agencies was outstanding," Samaniego said. "If we all continue to work together, we can make a bigger difference as far as border crime is concerned."

The number of arrests made in El Paso was not available, but Sheriff Arvin West of Hudspeth County reported an 85 percent reduction in crime since Operation Linebacker began. Operation Linebacker is an initiative intended to decrease crime and prevent terrorism along the Texas-Mexico border.

Crime has dropped dramatically in areas where the operations have taken place, Perry said.

He said he does not plan to end efforts to secure the border.

"Texas will not sit and wait for Washington to act," Perry said.

He said he plans to ask the Texas Legislature for $100 million when the next session begins to continue similar efforts.

"My instinct is they will be very supportive of what these dollars will be used for," he said.

He said similar operations will be staged elsewhere along the border.

"It's important the bad guys know we're not going away and we're going to continue these operations," Perry said.

Officials said sharing information is pivotal in the initiative's success.

"Before, I think we were very territorial. A lot of agencies held their intelligence very close to their chests," Webb County Sheriff Rick Flores said. "We need to share intelligence. We need to be on the same page."

Perry said the rest of the country should pay attention to operations in Texas.

"We're showing America how these different agencies can work together efficiently to fight crime," he said.

Law enforcement officials were optimistic that the operation could have more success if it is allowed to continue for longer than a few weeks at a time.

"The purpose was to shut down drug-trafficking and human-trafficking operations," Samaniego said. "If we were to continue to do it all the time, we could shut down (crime on) the border."

"I think this is the model," Perry said. "One of the reasons we're here is not only to go over this operation, but to bring to the public's attention the security of the border can be implemented in a powerful way if this type of operation was implemented throughout the border region."

"Texas will not sit and wait for Washington to act," Perry said.

Talks out of both sides of his mouth. He was Bush's Lt. Gov. and he learned the Rove way well.

He is weak on illegal immigration and believes it is a federal problem to enforce the laws. He has been in offices as long as Bush has and he is doing the same thing Bush is. That's a little enforcement on the border and nothing else. I asked about sending state troopers to the DHS ICE 287G program and his office did not respond. Also, he is a main supporter of the Trans Texas Corridor the NAFTA super highway (Mexico's trade route of American).

He will not answer an e-mail about his position on illegal immigration and he is up for re-election this November. It has not been below 100 here since June and it's even worse on the border.

Others have attributed the crime drop to the extreme heat wave. We are in a drought and it is very dangerous to cross right now. I really don't think it is about Perry's lame efforts.
Dixie

I think you are correct about our Governor.

I call him Rick 'Bushlite' Perry. In my opinion, he gets his orders from Washington.

This is election year blather.