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Texas Sheriffs, Citing U.S. Aid To Mexico On Drugs, Want Help Too

By David Badertscher, PLL

Source: Crime & Justice News

"Besieged Texas sheriffs vowed yesterday to press the

White House and Congress to deliver emergency

assistance to law enforcement officers battling drug

cartels along the Mexican border to match the $400

million on its way to Mexico, reports the Houston

Chronicle. The sheriffs said are frustrated that the U.S.

agreed to aid Mexico, as part of the Merida Initiative,

without offering additional federal help to their

departments.

Sheriffs will seek direct federal assistance, as well as

changes in Department of Homeland Security

restrictions to permit local law enforcement

departments to use homeland security funds to hire

additional officers. Implementation of the Merida

Initiative is ''really disappointing and disheartening

because Washington seems totally oblivious to what

we're facing on the Mexican border,' said Webb

County Sheriff Rick Flores, chairman of the 19-county

Texas Border Sheriff's Coalition. Flores, who said he

has faced death threats three times in the past three

years, has received $1.8 million in federal assistance

over 36 months. He said he needed $14.5 million in

additional federal help over the next five years to hire

25 new deputies to join his hard-pressed department

of 37 deputies."

Houston Chronicle - http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=0013VzDKrBMjCw9gL_0AmCN-qO2iOTrlh8f-4LUTIX5knU-xC20HnCexjpRdt8f4ydUyq_vodBEwaPu8Q8C7pmeitQirDaq88Hp2glQe_J-HCb__BF8sIneLQtCtbI7LpXDPELgJhZuTzlsMky9mHPy6f1zEs5yer_7_Ixp_aITcYM=

Full post as published by New York Supreme Court Criminal Term Library on July 03, 2008 (boomark / email).