Essay Example on DPS and U.S. Border Patrol

Introduction

The DPS (Department of Public Safety) is a state-level multi-facet law enforcement agency that works in close relationship with other law enforcement agencies whose main aim is to protect the public. Additionally, the DPS offers a broad range of vital technical, scientific, regulatory, and operational services to citizens and the criminal justice community. However, the key responsibilities of the Department of Public Safety rest in the areas of narcotics, traffic, liquor, organized crime/racketeering, and other special regulatory functions. It has to be comprehended that the Department of Public Safety enhances and promotes the quality of public safety by ensuring that there is cooperative enforcement, training employees, and intelligence gathering for other law enforcement agencies. They, therefore, increase public awareness of criminal activities.

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Border Patrol and DPS

The Department of Public Safety should be involved in border enforcement. The initial regional law enforcement occurred in 1901 when the governor of Arizona organized the Arizona Rangers. This was a small force whose purpose was to make a strong impact on the smuggling and rustling problems at the time. This force was however disbanded in 1909. The task force was reinstated twenty years later due to the increasing concern in the numbers of accidents and unlicensed vehicles on highways. The Department of Public Safety was stabled in 1969 (The History and Functions of the Department of Public Safety, 23). The Department of Public Safety is vital in helping United States border patrol to stop individuals and handing them over to border patrol if they are participating in illicit activities such as cartel activities, guns, drugs, and illegal aliens.

What Is the Advantage of Using DPS: Overwatch DPS Statistics

From 2007, the legislature of the United States has provided more than six hundred million dollars for border security. Most of these funds had been given to the department of Public Safety in the bid to target human and drug smugglers. With this investment, it means that the law enforcement agencies at the border have specialized Ranger Reconnaissance teams, helicopters, new intelligence centers, patrol boats and surveillance cameras that watch for traffickers. This represents a departure from the traditional DPS roles who acted as support service to law enforcement agencies and highway patrol officers. However, there are individuals who argue that there is no need for the involvement of the DPS in borders while there is a Border patrol that is running on all-time high personnel and funding. Additionally, critics argue that there is no indication that the extra beefing up of border security is doing anything as a detriment to illegals. However, the DPS has been successful in enforcing narcotics and traffic laws. In 2009 alone, the DPS seized 78,000 pounds of drugs, referred 1103 illegal immigrants to the federal agents, and arrested 76 individuals. With the help of the DPS, Border Patrol, and The United States Customs apprehended more illegal individuals (immigrants) in the first eight months of the 2014 fiscal year than in 2013 (Annual Report of the Department of Public Safety, 12).

Funding Priorities of DPS

Due to the $600 million funding that the DPS received from the legislature, the department can invest in technology and training of individuals to counter illegal immigrants and drug cartels. The specially trained teams in the DPS and their highly armed units can be dispatched to hotspots to enforce the law. This deters criminals from conducting their activities. The special labs that have been set up can be used to gather information on individuals conducting suspicious activities that can then be followed up by other law enforcement agencies. By corresponding with other departments, the Department of Public Safety can offer vital information that they have gathered making it easier for other departments such as the Border Patrol. With additional personnel on the watch, the immense border that the Border Patrol has to be manned is reduced. This reduces the chances of illegal immigrants crossing the border.

Department of Public Safety Responsibilities: Street Safety

The other additional responsibilities of the DPS mean that they do not only assist Border Patrol in apprehending illegals and drug smugglers. They are also responsible for ensuring public safety in the streets of major cities and towns. This is because it is the responsibility of the Border Patrol agents to ensure that they enforce immigration law while the DPS officers deal with narcotics violations and human smuggling.

DPS Problems

The presence of the DPS is not, however, all helpful. This is because there are various concerns due to the activation of the DPS. The running of the DPS is costly. This is because the DPS seems to be working on the responsibility of the Border Patrol in that they monitor the border for illegal immigrants and narcotics violations. There is also another concern that the DPS looks like a plan to militarize communities while at the same time entangling its law enforcement with U.S border policies (Mitchell, 67). Additionally, with the activation of the DPS, there seems to be an increase in anti-immigrant initiatives that inflict on the state and the residents of the state that may include discriminatory police practices that are because of local law enforcement in border enforcement. With the DPS, there is a probable devastating impact that may arise due to the potential legal liabilities that may result from inundating communities with the state law enforcement that is charged with the enforcement of border-related laws. With the DPS, there is a possibility that there would be a rise in discriminatory policing. Additionally, the frequent policing by DPS officials especially on minor stops for infractions such as tinted windows, broken tail lights may result in biased policing which may seem like an invasion of privacy.

Conclusion

However, the results that have been achieved by the DPS heavily outweigh the cons. This is because the professional enforcement of the law by the DPS ensures the safety of the communities, reduces crime, and supports the strained resources of the United States Border Patrol, and the United States Customs. The special labs that have been set up can be used to gather information on individuals conducting suspicious activities that can then be followed up by other law enforcement agencies. By corresponding with other departments, the Department of Public Safety can offer vital information that they have gathered making it easier for other departments such as the Border Patrol. The presence of the DPS is not, however, all helpful. This is because there are various concerns due to the activation of the DPS. The running of the DPS is costly. There is also another concern that the DPS looks like a plan to militarize communities while at the same time entangling its law enforcement with U.S border policies. With the DPS, there is a possibility that there would be a rise in discriminatory policing. However, the DPS has been successful in enforcing narcotics and traffic laws. The Department of Public Safety is vital in helping United States border patrol to stop individuals and handing them over to border patrol.

Works cited

The History and Functions of the Department of Public Safety: Feb. 6, 1959 and March 1959. , 1959. Print.

Roth, Mitchell. 65th Anniversary: Courtesy, Service, Protection. Paducah, KY: Turner Pub. Co, 2002. Print.

Annual Report of the Department of Public Safety. Rochester, N.Y: John P. Smith Printing House, 1900. Print.