Voice of Russia US Border Patrol Chief Michael Fisher describes an “alarming” and “detrimental” alcohol problem within the federal police agency, according to a report by ABC Team 10.
“The Border Patrol is averaging almost two alcohol-related arrests per week,” Fisher writes. “This continued level and rate of alcohol-related arrests within our agency is alarming and detrimental to the overall well-being of our workforce.”
According to the report by ABC Team 10, the agents also receive automatic weapons while they are intoxicated.
“People are showing up to work drunk,” said one agent who spoke with Team 10 under the condition of anonymity. “I want to see this addressed and to end the secrecy of what’s going on.”
The inside source made claims that San Diego-based agents are drinking and driving.
“We’ve had agents who have said to supervisors, ‘I think I’m still drunk’ and they still get the keys to their car and automatic weapons,” the source said.
Yet, San Diego Border Patrol Sector Chief Paul Beeson didn’t confirm such reports and noted that he hadn’t had such incidents in his department.
“What I’m aware of is that if an instance like that were to occur, supervisors are not going to let them go out in the field,” Beeson said. “Policy prohibits it.”
There are more than 21 000 Border Patrol agents in the United States. The number of agents will be doubled once the immigration reform passes.
Beginning Jan. 1, 2014, all Border Patrol agents will take mandatory alcohol-awareness classes. The alcohol awareness program is called the Michael V. Gallagher project, named after an agent who was killed by a drunk driver in 2010 while on duty.