Border officers meet in Winterhaven

Hundreds of law enforcement officers are in Imperial County this week to discuss protecting the southern border of the United States.

At the Southwestern Border Sheriff's Coalition meeting, several hundred sheriff's officers from various agencies, as well as representatives with federal law enforcement agencies and vendors, are in the area for the three-day conference.

The event continues through Wednesday at the Quechan Casino Resort in Winterhaven.

Presenters on Tuesday covered a wide variety of topics, all in an effort to educate and share information that can help protect the U.S. border.

William D. Newell, special agent in charge of the Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) Field Division in Phoenix, spoke to attendees about ATF efforts to stem firearms trafficking along the Southwest border.

With more than 300,000 guns recovered abroad that originate in the U.S. each year, anywhere from 25,000 to 30,000 of those guns end up in Mexico, according to Newell. Some of the firearms come from states that aren't even on the southern border, such as Washington and Florida.

"This is not just a U.S. border state issue," he said. "It's a national issue."

The normal pattern of illegal activity is drugs come north from Mexico, and guns and money go south from the U.S., he said.

The firearms end up in the hands of cartels and criminals in Mexico, Newell said.  "They're empowered by their weapons."

Firearms in the wrong hands can mean trouble for both Mexican and U.S. law enforcement officers. He said the safety of law enforcement on both sides of the border is one of their biggest concerns.

Newell said that by taking away "their tools of the trade," hopefully violence can be curbed.

To help, for the past 40 years the ATF has conducted Project Gun Runner, with an "intense focus" on stopping the illegal firearms trade.

The agency already has an office in Yuma, he said, and soon will open an additional office in Phoenix and one office in El Centro.

Randy R. Hill, chief patrol agent with the U.S. Border Patrol Del Rio Sector, presented statistics on apprehensions and narcotics seizures.

From fiscal year 2008 to fiscal year 2009 to date, there has been a 23 percent decrease in activity along the Southwestern border sectors, Hill said.

"It's a very good thing," Hill said about the decrease.

The only sector with an increase so far is the Marfa Sector in Texas. That sector, to date, is up 787 apprehensions from 5,211 apprehensions last year.

The Yuma Sector, to date, is down from 8,054 apprehensions to 6,626 apprehensions, a decrease of 18 percent.

Hill said with the decrease in border activity, agents are able to concentrate more on drug seizures.

Drug seizures are up 59 percent with almost 1 million pounds of narcotics obtained this year, said Hill.

"That's a lot of narcotics," he said.

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Stephanie A. Wilken can be reached at swilken@yumasun.com or 539-6857.