Sign up for your limited background check and spend seven weeks trying to learn the justification for a new, $5.7 million 50 agent US Border Patrol station at Port Angeles.

 

The citizens academy may be the answer to years of PR setbacks for the Border Patrol at Port Angeles-

 

2008- Jefferson County– Checkpoints begin– then end- after local complaints and protests.

Suspicionless bus boardings take place at Discovery Bay.

State and local LE agencies do not conduct DUI/suspicionless checkpoints in Washington State.

 

We are told the #1 US Border Patrol objective is to stop terrorists. The US Border Patrol explains this objective at a local public forum- this YouTube video covers Border Patrol objectives at 3:50.

At that same forum a lady asked:

“What is the penalty for not identifying oneself to federal agents at an internal, suspicionless checkpoint?”

US Border Patrol said they would call in the Sheriff when a person refused to identify themselves.

Sheriff says they will not respond to a non-emergency situation involving a person peaceably refusing to interact with federal agents.

Question about providing ID is at 0:35

War on Terror- credibility squandered.

 

Aug 2010-

A US Border Patrol spokesperson tells the press:

“Border Patrol spokeswoman Jenny Burke said Monday that the agency will not release any information on the number of arrests made by agents who work out of the Port Angeles station, the names of those arrested, what they were arrested for and the disposition of their cases”

“The number of arrests for Port Angeles’ or any other station is “law enforcement-sensitive,” Burke said.”

“The names of those arrested and other facts about them are not available for release under the 1974 Privacy Act, she said.”

 

March 2011- Local paper submits FOIA request for USBP arrest numbers to justify new 50 agent station. FOIA request denied. FOIA appeal denied.

 

Aug 2011- Agent Sanchez reports USBP staffing level is now 40 agents & fraudulent overtime clams are the norm.

 

Aug 2011- Post 911 efforts to keep terrorists from visiting the homeland- still unable to keep illegal drugs out.

 

Sept 2011- Congressman Norm Dicks says USBP whistleblower lacks credibility. A proper investigation will reveal the truth- where is the report Congressman?

 

Perhaps the citizens academy will take time to explain why- in the whole wide world of law enforcement work- does the Port Angeles US Border Patrol station tell us they can’t report arrests because that would help the bad guys- yet crimes handled by local law enforcement agencies & the FBI are reported as public information?

 

Perhaps citizens will learn why the USBP Port Angeles secret arrest policy is instantly lifted if something to brag about takes place.

 

Perhaps citizens will learn why the US Border Patrol seems to have a working relationship with the press at Erie, PA.

Perhaps citizens will learn why it didn’t take a FOIA request or 7 week citizens academy for local people to learn the justification for their new, 50 agent USBP station-

No public information/security conflict at the U.S. Border Patrol station (not sector, which is an arbitrary federal zone- confusing by design) in Erie, PA.

Erie Station– similar to Port Angeles in that it is separated from Canada by water.

Note: reports of the expansion at Erie include numbers of arrests out of that station:

“The Border Patrol operations in Erie, nearly six years old, include more than 30 agents who apprehended 588 illegal immigrants in fiscal year 2008-09.”

“The Border Patrol’s apprehensions in the Erie area have grown steadily, from 332 in fiscal 2006-2007 to 588 in 2008-09 to 305 so far in 2009-10.

Of those apprehended so far this fiscal year, 136 were individuals found by other law enforcement agencies and turned over to the Border Patrol.”

 

Perhaps citizens will learn why suspicionless checkpoints ended on the Olympic Peninsula in 2008. Suspicionless bus boardings ended in November, 2011– yet USBP staffing has grown to 42 agents at Port Angeles:

“The number of Border Patrol agents operating out of the Port Angeles station grew from 36 in mid-September to 42 as of Friday, said George Behan, a spokesman for U.S. Rep Norm Dicks, whose 6th Congressional District includes Clallam and Jefferson counties.“

 

Perhaps citizens will learn the results of the investigation Re: fraudulent overtime claims at the Port Angeles USBP station?

Aug 2011- “…Sanchez’s claims had been referred to the federal Joint Intake Center, which will refer it to an investigating agency, possibly the U.S. Office of Special Counsel.”

Hey local reporters-

Plenty of time has passed since August 2, 2011- What are the results of the investigation? No follow up?

DHS is probably best served by stalling on this.

Our Washington State Patrol opened a criminal investigation in a similar case:

Ex-trooper charged with official misconduct for overtime pay

Please make use of your press credential to schedule appointments, do interviews & ask questions- or just sign up for the citizens academy.

News Tip/story idea: Honest management of public information

 

 

Photo- Crescent Beach, WA- Vancouver Island in the distance