Border-related crime?
September 24, 2008
So, while places like The Tunel are opening and struggling to bring arts, culture and awareness to the border community on a shoestring budget, the San Diego County Sheriffs Department is getting $5.5 million to help fight “border-related” crime. Here’s an excerpt from the press release:
The San Diego Board of Supervisors today authorized the receipt of the Stonegarden Grant, which focuses crime prevention, detection, and suppression along the underserved, rural areas of East County and on the busy South Bay areas impacted by border-related crime.
This money will enhance our efforts to prevent, interdict, and arrest those involved in border-related crimes. New equipment acquisitions will consist of ‘high tech’ items that will enhance our abilities to observe criminal activity associated with the border. Items such as surveillance cameras and license plate readers will act as force multipliers, maximizing prevention and enforcement efforts by providing operational intelligence.
The residents of San Diego County, particularly in the remote, rural East County and in the South Bay border area will enjoy an increased law enforcement presence as law enforcement institutes additional high visibility, proactive patrols. These will also include increased flights by Sheriff’s helicopters. Deputies and officers will actively be looking for criminals and criminal activities. The focus will be on reducing border-related crimes and on helping secure our borders by a strong, visible proactive presence in local communities impacted by the border.
The grant also covers costs, such as fuel and maintenance, associated with the increased enforcement.
One question: What exactly is border-related crime?



And I’ll bet you $5.5 million that Blackwater is involved in the manufacture and sale of the surveillance cameras and other high tech equipment.