Statement of NTEU President Colleen M. Kelley On The Shooting Incident at the Douglas, Arizona, Border

Press Release February 12, 2006

For the second time in little more than two weeks, officers of the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have been involved in a shooting in their course of their duties guarding the U. S. border. The fatal shooting Thursday, at the U.S.-Mexican border in Douglas, Arizona, is yet another reminder of the dangers these dedicated federal workers face every day. In this instance, a vehicle crashed into the booth where the CBP Officers were stationed, and when they approached the vehicle, the driver continued to drive erratically, hitting other vehicles and putting at risk the lives of the officers and travelers. This incident, coupled with the necessary use of force by CBP Officers at the U.S.-Canada border crossing at Blaine, Washington in late January, illustrates again the law enforcement nature of their work. These officers are armed and trained in the use of weapons, and are increasingly called upon to use force in the performance of their duties to protect the American public. Yet, they continue to be denied law enforcement officer status by their government. It is well past time for this gross injustice to be rectified by the granting of LEO status to CBP Officers.

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