WASHINGTON: In the wake of several incidents where white police officers have used lethal force against unarmed black men, the most recent of which were a video of the event was capture and sent to the Commissioner for US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced that he was “taking steps to make transparency and accountability hallmarks of [his] tenure at CBP.”
At an event at the Brookings Institution Gil Kerlikowske specifically discussed the use of force when officers or agents are apprehending suspects as a example of the emerging transparency within the department.
“Every law enforcement agency is part of an ongoing and intense debate right now about how and when and where officers should use force,” the Commissioner said.
“CBP, particularly the United States Border Patrol, has become under increased scrutiny and criticism for using for force during apprehensions,” Kerlikowske said.
Despite the criticism, Kerlikowske said that the future looks encouraging, noting that the department is currently on track to reduce the use of force by 30% compared to this past fiscal year.
“There are times when some level of force must be used,” the Commissioner said, “and in those instances the force must be justified and within our polices.”
Kerlikowske also announced that the CBP had implemented a formal review process for incidents where officer or agent force resulted in death or bodily injury.
“The review process will help us resolve use of force incidents in a timely and transparent manor,” he said.
CBP is technically the largest law enforcement agency in the US
