IMPACT ON US LAW ENFORCEMENT TACTICS
The current violence and drug traffic in Mexico presents a twofold problem in regards to domestic law enforcement in the United States. Not only are US law enforcement authorities required to combat the massive influx of illicit drugs from Mexico, they are also expected to stem the tide of illegal immigrants, many fleeing the dire circumstances in their home country, and also to quell fears of cartel violence spilling over our largely unsecured southern border. This has led to a fundamental shift in domestic the law enforcement tactics in the United States as well as an increased US law enforcement presence in Mexico itself. Local and State law enforcement agencies are increasingly being asked to perform tasks traditionally relegated to federal law enforcement agencies. State and local law enforcement personnel, especially in border regions, are being asked to form a partnership with federal law enforcement in regards to enforcing federal law including verification of immigration status. Furthermore, federal law enforcement agencies are operating in Mexican sovereign territory, a task traditionally reserved for military or diplomatic personnel. Currently, there are dozens of federal law enforcement agents, from a myriad of different agencies who are currently operating inside Mexico in cooperation with Mexican authorities.
Fears of the violence currently being endured in Mexico spilling over into the contiguous United States is a well-founded worry. The death and destruction currently occurring in Mexico is not caused by phenomena exclusive to Mexico and could very well, given the right circumstances, take root in many areas of the United States. Given our large, and primarily unsecured so...
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...ow the drug trade within their borders, the death and destruction cause by the cartels is only overshadowed by the possibility of deeply rooted and cancerous corruption deep within their own agencies. As a result, on the US side of the border, the tactics of local, state, and federal, law enforcement agencies have been forced to change with executives in each level being forced to reevaluate their traditional and future roles. State and local law enforcement are being asked to, and are, performing tasks traditionally relegated to federal law enforcement personnel and federal law enforcement is increasingly being thrust into situations traditionally reserved for military personnel. These shifts, in response to the significant drug traffic currently emanating from Mexico, are potentially changing the face of all levels of US law enforcement for generations to come.
The United States has no more important foreign relation ship than that of which it enjoys with Mexico, and vice versa. These two countries share interwoven societies and economies. Although there have been disagreements and turbulence between the two countries, which partnership is without these? The Strength of each country’s democracy is fundamental to the other’s. This relationship that the two countries share directly affects that lives of millions of Mexican and United States citizens everyday. Recently these two countries have become even more unified than ever before. Tackling issues such as Border Control, Countering Narcotics, Dealing with multiple Law enforcement agencies, Human Rights laws, trade and development, etc. There are many issues that they are mutually interested in and must deal with. Yet, there are some vast differences in which these two countries are run. There are also many similarities, which we must take into account. Both Democratic Governments have similar structures, containing a legislative, judicial, and executive branch. Yet, these structures are very different internally, containing specific duties that the other country’s branch may not have.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Office for State and Local Law Enforcement. n.d. web. 10 November 2013.
The article by Rob Guerette is a case study involving the widely-reported increase of immigration into the United States. It tackles migration issues as well as related issues such as border security , security initiatives by individuals.. The article also provides in-depth research about the impact of illegal immigration into the United States including migrant deaths, deaths of non-migrants at the border, border security and the challenges faced by United States border patrol officers. The main purpose of the article was to provide an explanation as to whether the Border Patrol has any effect in saving the lives of people attempting to enter into the United States (Guerette, 2007).
The primary function of the Border Patrol Agency is "Line Watch"(web), which involves the apprehension of terrorists, smugglers and illegal people at the border. The book ‘Border Patrol nation’ by Tod Miller is a classic example of the Border patrol agency day to day activities and work culture. Tod Miller has researched and written about US-Mexican border issues for last 15 years. The book contains eleven chapters, which are well structured and inter related in respect to the arguments, evident and stories. This makes the book well
United States Border Patrol has been around since 1904 enforcing and regulating laws under the immigration and Nationality Act. U.S. border patrol is now under the Department of Homeland Security, which was created as a response to the attacks of September 11, 2001. Over the years, their jurisdiction and missions have changed to better protect the safety of nation. Although border patrol is a need for any nation, their extensive acceptations to constitutional laws can often be taken advantage of. The mission of the U.S. border patrol should be to prevent illegal aliens, which are a threat to American society, from reaching their purpose. Frequently, their purpose can be confused or executed in a bias manner.
With gun violence at an all-time high, and with stricter gun control laws looming, citizens of Texas are concerned for their safety. Mexican drug cartels are creeping further into American territory. In November 2009 it was found that drug cartels have started recruiting teens from border area high schools in Texas. (Trahan, 4). When this news was released, parent became concerned that their children would be next. With this concern residence in border towns, like El Paso, Texas, believe that they are safer with private gun ownership. (Baldauf, 7). This suggest that the government in Te...
n.p., 25 Sep. 2013. Web. 16 Feb. 2014. Corcoran, Katherine. “Mexico’s Drug War Strategy Remains Unchanged With New Government.”
Dougherty, Jon E. 2004 “Illegal: The Imminent Threat Posed by Our Unsecured U.S.-Mexico Border” Publisher: Thomas Nelson.
The war on drug not only change the structure of the criminal justice system, it also change the ways that police officers, prosecutors and judges do their jobs. Even worse, the way politicians address crime. The tough stand on drugs started during the Nixon presidency, most of the resources was focus on medical treatment rather than punishment. Although it was a better strategy and alternative than the drug war policies that exist today, it was a very divisive issue between the conservatives and the liberals. The war on drug ignited during the Reagan administration, two third of the financial resources were being spent on law enforcement. In addition, the end of the cold war left the United States with weaponry and resources that needed to be repurposed. As a result, small town were given high power grade artilleries and weaponry, and means to form specialized tactical units such as SWAT teams in case of unusual event. To maintain and justify the need for these new expenditures, SWAT teams are used in any drug warran...
Drug trafficking has been a massive concern between the borders of Mexico and the U.S. “since mid 1970s” (Wyler, 1). Drug trafficking is “knowingly being in possession, manufacturing, selling, purchasing, or delivering an illegal, controlled substance” (LaMance, 1). A dynamic relationship exists amongst Columbia, Mexico, and the U.S. the informal drug trafficking economy. This growing informal drug economy leads to many individuals creating a substantial living through this undercover market. These individual drug cartels monopolizing the trafficking market are a growing problem for the U.S economy and need to be located and controlled. If this trafficking continues, the U.S. informal economy will crush the growth of legal industries. The trafficking and abuse of drugs in the U.S. affects nearly all aspects of consumer life. Drug trafficking remains a growing issue and concern to the U.S. government. The U.S. border control must find a way to work with Mexico to overpower the individuals who contribute to the drug trafficking business. This market must be seized and these individuals must be stopped.
Vaughan, Jessica M. “Aliens Who Overstay Their Visas Are a Serious Security Threat.” Opposing Viewpoints: Immigration. Eds. David M. Haugen, Susan Musser and Kacy Lovelace. Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven Press, 2009. 182-193. Print.
Beith, Malcolm. (2013, September 24). The current state of Mexico's many drug cartels. CTC Sentinal
...ion and drug smuggling has been on the rise the past few decades and our current approach is not confronting the escalating issue at hand. America’s safekeeping at our borders is not robust enough to deter these illegal immigrants and drug smugglers. Our border wall and security checkpoints must be strengthened immediately.
One of the major issues surrounding border security is illegal immigration, “For the past two decades the United States, a country with a strong tradition of limited government, has been pursuing a widely popular initiative that requires one of the most ambitious expansions of government power in modern history: securing the nation’s borders against illegal immigration” (Alden, 2012). Many people are trying to enter the United States without the proper documentation and everyday they risk their lives and others just to make it across these borders. To avoid this law enforcement and other border security has threatened these illegal immigrants with detainment and arrest and different forms of punishment. In the efforts to deter the problem, it has been far beyond feasible because they still manage to get across and it does not change their intention...
The New Zealand Police is the lead agency responsible for helping the community to decrease or reduce crime, corruption and improve the responsibility of safety and protection in New Zealand. There is a need to make changes to the police culture in order to improve the performance of their organisation. However there are three fundamental errors that need to be addressed which will be discussed in this essay. Firstly, there is a lack of an established sense of urgency which has the potential to jeopardize the future of the organization. Secondly is, not creating a powerful enough guiding coalition which means there is a lack of communication which resulted in an absence of leadership and teamwork from frontline staff to national headquarters. Finally, an undercommunicating the vision by a factor of ten that organisation leader needs to communicate visions and strategies. These three errors are relevant as they are pivotal in the implementation of a managing change programme. Recommendations are also provided to improve on how the New Zealand Police can be enhanced within a management perspective.