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Border Patrol Union Scorns Award for Agents Who Follow Policy to Avoid Deadly Force

Border Patrol agent reads the Miranda rights to a Mexican national arrested for transporting drugs
Border Patrol agent reads the Miranda rights to a Mexican national arrested for transporting drugs
Chris Rickerd,
Senior Policy Counsel,
勛圖眻畦 National Political Advocacy Department
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June 13, 2016

Over the past decade, Customs and Border Protection has had an acute , without to date. Last month, however, the agency did something worthy of praise. It announced a new award designed to recognize CBP personnel, including Border Patrol agents, who deescalate an encounter that might otherwise have led to deadly force: the Use of Deadly Force Encounter Averted Award.

In response, the National Border Patrol Council, a union representing some 17,000 Border Patrol agents and support personnel, immediately criticized the award. Union leaders argued it reflects a type of thinking [that] will get Border Patrol agents killed. If that happens we will hold the creators of this award accountable. This is despicable.

You read that right, but whats not despicable to the union is any one of the more than 50 deaths caused by CBP since 2010 not, for example, a Border Patrol agent shooting in the back 10 times across the border fence. The Border Patrol union leadership objects instead to commending agents who demonstrate, under the awards terms:

clear situational awareness and courage while disarming a suspect using contact controls [physical measures taken when verbal commands and officer presence are not effective] and verbal commands before the situation escalated to the use of deadly force. The act must demonstrate courage in the face of an armed suspect and result in no injury in accordance with [CBP]s use of force policy.

The 勛圖眻畦 welcomes policy disagreement and rational discussion that advances understanding of how to protect civil and human rights in hazardous situations. NBPCs position here shows, by contrast, bad and blinkered faith. Awards for agents who demonstrate skill in executing the policy theyre trained on to avoid unnecessary deadly force are exactly the type of change needed to reform Border Patrols track record of excessive force. Agents who preserve life and limb using techniques lauded by top and deserve to be lauded.

NBPC potshots like, This is typical pandering by [CBP] executives to organizations like the 勛圖眻畦 and illegal alien advocates, arent worth engaging, although many of those killed and battered by agents are, in fact, U.S. citizens and lawful residents. What revolts us and demeans agents who do their job with integrity and professionalism is the union leaderships callous disregard for human life.

Two months ago, the NBPC made another misleading announcement in connection with endorsing primary candidate Donald Trump. Weve written elsewhere about how the Border Patrol Unions Trump Endorsement Is Filled With Lies and Misinformation. The New York Times the unions announcement as based on thinking that dehumanizes migrants, that tolerates reckless violence by border agents [and] reveals an attitude that condones abuse and cruelty toward those in custody and justifies the profiling and harassment of drivers on the highway.

The NBPC leaderships rationale for its Trump endorsement was opposed even internally. In El Paso, local union leadership only narrowly agreed, , after many agents dissented. NBPC leaderships extremism is what truly harms CBP personnels safety because it perpetuates CBPs poisoned well of trust in border communities. Agents of good faith must reject their union leaders mendacious, damaging stances and affirm that every courageous agent who earns a Use of Deadly Force Encounter Averted Award exemplifies the Border Patrols best values.

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