Thread: Yuma Sector Chief Talks to NewsChannel 11

Yuma Sector Chief Talks to NewsChannel 11

Aug 7, 2008

The Associated Press reported earlier in the week about the controversy surrounding the border patrol and how agents were disperesed along the border.

On Thursday we had a chance to sit down with Yuma sector Chief Paul Beeson to see how his agents are deployed and used in our area.

With close to 900 agents on staff, to call Yuma Sector Chief Paul Beeson a busy guy is an understatement. He's in charge of three stations and has to cover 125 miles of border in the Yuma area alone.

To make sure he's running a well oiled machine in the Border Patrol, his secret is planning ahead. "The number that we're going to deploy on any given day is going to vary based on the operations and the needs the station managers determine they need that day." Beeson says.

And the threat is debated and finally agreed upon every two weeks. Every year the man in charge at the Yuma Sector has to submit a budget to the Border Patrol Headquarters in Washington D.C. You can call it a budget but It's more like a wish list of things needed to keep our border safe.

"For me in the Yuma Sector, for me to gain control of this entire border I need "X" number of miles of vehicle barrier. I need "X" number of miles of pedestrian men, "X" amount of personel ground surveillance radar. Things of that nature." Beeson adds.

After the big boys in Washington approve the budget they disperse the tools accordingly.

This year Chief Beeson has seen a 69% increase in staffing while apprehensions are down. Despite all the success so far, he says there are still road blocks that need to be cleared in the future.

"Getting to some of these areas is a significant challenge. It's one that we're going to address with technology."

Chief Beeson says the new secure border initiative should help make things easier in the future. He did not comment on whether the other sectors in the country facing similar issues.

http://www.kyma.com/slp.php?idN=793&cat=Local%20News

Southwest Border Patrol Sector Apprehensions
Fiscal Year-------------2005---------2006---------2007-------2008 (ends 9/30)
Yuma-----------------138,492-----118,549----- 37,992------ 7,255 *(7 mi. Legislated fence built)