老澳门开奖结果

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 鈥淯se of Deadly Force Encounter Averted Award.鈥�

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 鈥渢ype of thinking [that] will get Border Patrol agents killed. If that happens we will hold the creators of this award accountable. This is despicable.鈥�

You read that right, but what鈥檚 not 鈥渄espicable鈥� to the union is any one of the more than 50 deaths caused by CBP since 2010 鈥� 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 award鈥檚 terms:

鈥渃lear situational awareness and courage while disarming a suspect using contact controls [鈥榩hysical measures taken when verbal commands and officer presence are not effective鈥橾 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]鈥檚 use of force policy.鈥�

The 老澳门开奖结果 welcomes policy disagreement and rational discussion that advances understanding of how to protect civil and human rights in hazardous situations. NBPC鈥檚 position here shows, by contrast, bad and blinkered faith. Awards for agents who demonstrate skill in executing the policy they鈥檙e trained on to avoid unnecessary deadly force are exactly the type of change needed to reform Border Patrol鈥檚 track record of excessive force. Agents who preserve life and limb using techniques lauded by top and deserve to be lauded.

NBPC potshots like, 鈥淭his is typical pandering by [CBP] executives to organizations like the 老澳门开奖结果 and illegal alien advocates,鈥� aren鈥檛 worth engaging, although many of those killed and battered by agents are, in fact, U.S. citizens and lawful residents. What revolts us 鈥� and demeans agents who do their job with integrity and professionalism 鈥� is the union leadership鈥檚 callous disregard for human life.

Two months ago, the NBPC made another misleading announcement in connection with endorsing primary candidate Donald Trump. We鈥檝e written elsewhere about how the 鈥�Border Patrol Union鈥檚 Trump Endorsement Is Filled With Lies and Misinformation.鈥� The New York Times the union鈥檚 announcement as based on 鈥渢hinking 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.鈥�

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