ON THE SOUTHWEST BORDER Forging Ties in Tijuana

08/16/10

Amid the car horns, engine exhaust, and constant flow of people on foot and in cars, Special Agent Mike Eckel inched through traffic at the San Ysidro Port of Entry—the world’s busiest land border crossing—on his way from San Diego to Tijuana. Although the Mexican city can be a dangerous place for Americans, in his role as one of the Bureau’s five border liaison officers, Eckel makes the trip about once a week.

Watch Video: Liaison officer Alejandro Lares describes working in Tijuana with the FBI.

Cooperation and Training

In addition to establishing strong relationships and coordinating international investigations with Mexican law enforcement, our border liaison officers also provide valuable training.

In the late 1980s, the Bureau established the Mexican-American Liaison and Law Enforcement Training (MALLET) program to teach some of our time-tested investigative techniques such as evidence recovery and crime scene management. The weeklong courses, held about four times a year, also offer instruction in ethics and managing investigations. The training is conducted by border liaison officers and other FBI instructors.

“The training is another way we foster good partnerships,â€