SAN DIEGO — United States Border Patrol agents of San Diego Sector have demonstrated significant law enforcement achievements along the sector’s 60 linear miles of border shared with Mexico and the 114 miles of coastal border during fiscal year 2014.
San Diego Sector now employs over 2,500 uniformed agents assigned to six line-watch stations in Imperial Beach, Chula Vista, Brown Field, El Cajon, Campo, and Boulevard, and two northern egress stations in San Clemente and Murrieta. This is a significant deployment of personnel when compared to the staffing levels of 1993, when San Diego Sector had approximately 1,000 agents.
In fiscal year 2014, San Diego Sector Border Patrol continued with the 2012-2016 risk-based strategy utilizing the three pillars of information, integration, and rapid response to maintain a level of effective border control. This control was obtained by identifying cross-border threats, utilizing and maximizing partnerships with federal, state, and local agencies, and deploying a rapid response to mitigate these threats quickly and effectively.
Paul Beeson, Chief Patrol Agent of San Diego Sector said, “I am very pleased with our progress within San Diego Sector’s area of responsibility. The level of border security achieved over the years has resulted in an increase in the quality of life along the border as noted by the development of housing, shopping malls, small businesses and community infrastructure.”
From Oct. 1, 2013 through Sept. 30, 2014, San Diego Sector Border Patrol accomplishments included the apprehension of 29,911 persons for illegal entry into the country. This is an 8.78 percent increase from fiscal year 2013. Since fiscal year 2012, apprehensions in San Diego Sector have not exceeded 30,000. This is a significant achievement considering in 2008, San Diego Sector’s fiscal year apprehension number was 162,390 and in fiscal year 1986 there were 628,370 apprehensions, a record number for San Diego.
Nationwide, the United States Border Patrol apprehended 486,651 persons; San Diego Sector apprehensions accounted for 6.1 percent of this total. Overall apprehensions for fiscal year 2014 along the southwest border with Mexico were 479,371. San Diego Sector accounted for 6.2 percent of those apprehensions.
San Diego Sector Border Patrol agents seized 17,497 pounds of marijuana, a 63.4 percent decrease over fiscal year 2013. However, cocaine seizures increased 105 percent to 1,697 pounds; methamphetamine seizures increased 43.7 percent to 1,797 pounds; and heroin seizures increased 45.4 percent to over 2,880 ounces.
There were a total of 1,920,411 pounds of marijuana, over 4,443 pounds of cocaine, 3,770 pounds of methamphetamine, and 9,204 ounces of heroin seized along the southwest border by the United States Border Patrol.
The focused enforcement efforts of San Diego Sector Border Patrol agents accounted for 1 percent of the marijuana, 38.2 percent of the cocaine, 47.7 percent of the methamphetamine, and 31.3 percent of the heroin seized by the U.S. Border Patrol nationwide.
These results did not come without significant challenges and enormous dangers. In San Diego Sector there were a total of 85 assaults on agents while in the performance of their duties. This was 16.4 percent increase from the prior fiscal year. In 2008, there were 377 incidents, a highpoint for recorded assaults on agents.
This fiscal year San Diego Sector Border Patrol agents conducted 13 rescue missions saving 16 people as compared to 15 missions saving 15 people last fiscal year.
San Diego Sector Border Patrol agents processed a total of 954 unaccompanied alien children (UAC) this fiscal year, a 44 percent increase from last fiscal year. Along the southwest border there were a total of 68,541 UAC’s apprehended; San Diego Sector accounted for 1.4 percent of this total.
“These extraordinary accomplishments are the direct results of the professional men and women in uniform honorably serving and courageously protecting our communities,” said Chief Patrol Agent Beeson. “San Diego Sector will strive to improve its ability to target transnational threats and criminal organizations that seek to profit from illicit activities. We will work tirelessly to disrupt, dismantle, and ultimately defeat these threats in order to protect America.”