Thread: Texas Online Border Patrol Program Stirs Controversy

Feb. 24, 2009
Rob Kuznia--
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The Internet has taken citizen border-patrol work to a new level.

In a controversial new program that was launched in November, the Texas governor's criminal justice office has installed several video cameras along the border between Mexico and the United States that can be monitored by everyday people simply by logging onto this Web site ,
NPR reported this week.

Anyone who spies suspicious activity -- something that suggests a drug deal or an illegal crossing -- is asked to write an online report, which is forwarded to the sheriff department of the area in question.

Called Blueservo, the program -- which is expected to cost $2 million in the first year -- has thus far resulted in four marijuana busts and blocked 30 instances of illegal crossing. Some 43,000 people have logged on.

But he program is seeing its fair share of controversy. State Sen. Elliot Shapleigh (D-El Paso) told NPR that it is a waste of money, adding that the program encourages extremism.

Others believe drug traffickers have, ironically, used the program to their advantage, monitoring whether authorities are covering a certain area before shipping drugs across the border.






Source: HispanicBusiness(DOT)com (c) 2009. All rights reserved.

http://www.hispanicbusiness(DOT)com/editors_picks/2009/2/24/texas_online_border_patrol_program_stirs.htm

Of course this could be outsourced to India have some one in Kolkata monitor the screens. Just kidding

Has anyone consistently watched this blueservo?? I was watching it now and isn't it dark in Texas???? Some of the videos are still watchable.
Any ideas??

Originally Posted by mbrown

Has anyone consistently watched this blueservo?? I was watching it now and isn't it dark in Texas???? Some of the videos are still watchable.
Any ideas??

Night Vision

Originally Posted by jamesw62

Originally Posted by mbrown

Has anyone consistently watched this blueservo?? I was watching it now and isn't it dark in Texas???? Some of the videos are still watchable.
Any ideas??

Night Vision

Trained K9? :P

I've got an account and checked it out one night. I saw nothing, absolutely nothing.

Dixie

So the web site is not providing live feeds? What a friggin waste.

Originally Posted by Rockfish

So the web site is not providing live feeds? What a friggin waste.

Yes , this is real-time surveillance. My wife and I both seen crossings.