Border Patrol Complains That Volunteers Are Tripping Sensors Used to Detect Illegal

[AZ GRAMMY]

Border Patrol Complains That Volunteers Are Tripping Sensors Used to Detect Illegal Crossers
By Arthur H. Rotstein
Associated Press Writer


TOMBSTONE, Ariz. (AP) - Volunteers who have converged on the Mexican border to watch for illegal immigrants are disrupting U.S. Border Patrol operations by unwittingly tripping sensors that alert agents to possible intruders, an agency spokesman complained Monday.
Scores of participants in the Minuteman Project began assembling late last week and planned to begin regular patrols on Monday, in an exercise some law enforcement authorities and civil rights groups fear will result in vigilante violence. Many of the volunteers were recruited over the Internet, and some planned to be armed.

Over the past few days, they have set off sensors, forcing agents to respond to false alarms, said Supervisory Border Patrol Agent Jose Maheda.

"Every sensor has to be addressed," Maheda said. "It's taken away from our normal operations."

The volunteers planned to start fanning out Monday across 23 miles of the San Pedro Valley to watch the border and report any illegal activity to federal agents.

The idea, according to project organizers, is partly to draw attention to problems on the Arizona-Mexico border, considered the most porous stretch of the 2,000-mile southern border. Of the 1.1 million illegal immigrants caught by the Border Patrol last year, 51 percent crossed into the country at the Arizona border.

Jim Coniglio of Tucson, who plans to patrol with other volunteers this week, said residents in some areas of the border have complained of being "overrun routinely" by migrants. "They're feeling insecure," he said.

The Border Patrol opposes the operation. "The possibility for something going drastically wrong is very high," Maheda said.

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBY05C257E.html

 

[data junkie]

ABC radio is reporting this sensor story, along with a derogatory quote referring to the MM as just "a big tailgate party"

 

[milkydoo]

"It's taken away from our normal operations."

You mean, 'jacking off'? Yeah, I guess that is normal for you guys, but that's not a solution to the immigration problem. Besides, sensors don't do much good when the leader of our country is working with President Fox to circumvent them.

 

[Synap]

Well, after many years of passing thru hundreds of BP checkpoints, I finally ran across a BP "ociffer" with a bad attitiude. Seriously, first one! I suppose I could understand why, he was what I call a "full desk" profile (bigger than mine!). Had to weigh in near 300#..prolly needed a desk with a belly cutout. I didn't know they made duty belts that big.

OTOH, he got very respectful (but pale-faced) when I, thanked him for doing a good job that must be frustrating..and hehe..while pulling out my notepad and writting down his name. At that point he prolly suddenly noticed the red light on the pocket tape recorder too.

Back to topic. This is bureaucratic "turf war" propaganda. Obviously coming from folks who fit the above profile. FYI: the BP are being informed carefully and with detailed coordinates of where watchers are operating. The BP KNOWS where their sensors will report false positives during this watch. I've heard them talking about it on their radios. The grunts on the ground I've heard on scanner are supporting this watch. "Rights exercise" seems to be their and local PDs on-air reference.