WASHINGTON: The US border-patrol agency has said that it will investigate allegations of criminal misconduct in its ranks amid criticism that its agents have been using excessive force.
The move “is part of a larger effort to hold the workforce accountable for maintaining a high standard of integrity and aligning CBP with law enforcement best practices throughout the country,” said Customs and Border Protection Commissioner R Gil Kerlikowske, a former Seattle police chief who took the helm of the agency in March.
The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees CBP, delegated the authority to the agency to conduct the internal investigations. Federal agents are charged with protecting the nation’s frontiers, including the southern border with Mexico, where drug cartels, human smugglers and other criminals operate.
