On September 11, 2001, America witnessed one of the most devastating and brutal attacks to the country. Law enforcement officers were among the first to respond and provide aid to the victims, secure the crime scene, gather evidence and maintain order. Today, law enforcement officers are asked to increase their vigilance and become the USA’s primary border front against terrorism and to act as the guardians to the front door of America – emergency first-responders that provide the impetus for our country’s homeland security. The Laredo Police Department (LPD) has proudly accepted this responsibility from time immemorial as it continues to provide safety and security for our community and for the rest of the United States of America daily. Laredo is unique because it is the nation’s largest in-land port on the southern U.S. border and the LPD has a unique challenge in fulfilling these duties. The Laredo Police Department is charged with the task of protecting the entire country by closely monitoring activity at the ports of entry and it has been doing so for decades. Heavily traveled US/Mexico border crossings, such as Laredo, are attractive crossing points for terrorists and other illicit contraband. And, with the continuing threat of a possible spillover of recent border violence that has erupted in Mexico, LPD finds itself hard-pressed to find creative means of financing additional personnel (sworn and civilian) and equipment to stem the tide of the violence that has continued in an upward surge for the past year and threatens to spill over to the US side of the border.

Since the 9/11 attacks, and the threat of increased violence in the streets of Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico, south of the US border city of Laredo, Texas, the Laredo Police Department has been proactive in establishing a bomb detection/identification/disposal unit within its department. The need to become self-sufficient became paramount in lieu of our community’s over-reliance on other agencies for back-up support to this area. In response to an incendiary device call, local authorities would have to rely on the San Antonio Police Department and/or military ordinance/bomb personnel from either San Antonio or Houston, hundreds of miles away. This situation would create and exacerbate a potentially hazardous situation for all areas, leaving San Antonio and/or Houston vulnerable during their emergency responses to Laredo. It also extended the amount of time the scene had to be secured, diverting local officials from their regularly assigned duties. A Bomb Unit was established to provide adequate area-wide protection against incendiary/explosive devices and other possible weapons of mass destruction. The Laredo Police Department now has a fully-functional Bomb Disposal Unit and a Bomb Disposal Andros Robot along with other bomb disposal equipment. The equipment was funded by Homeland Security Grants for first responders. The purchase amount of the bomb equipment was approximately $389,000.00. It should also be noted that the border violence that is plaguing Laredo’s neighbors south of the border in Mexico has increased to the point that the narco-traffickers that continue their fight to control the very lucrative drug trade corridor through the “Plaza” in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, over the Rio Grande River on into the US via Laredo, Texas, makes it imperative that we continue to sustain our municipal police force ever-ready to face domestic drug terrorists with both their arsenal of armaments including caches of state-of-the-art weapons and communications systems.

The services provided by law enforcement personnel include:

• Increased security at:
  • All ports of entry/international vehicular-pedestrian-rail bridges
  • Interstate commerce corridors – IH-35 and US Hwy 59
  • Rio Grande
  • Water plants
  • Electric plants
  • Laredo Entertainment Center (10,000 seat multiuse arena)
  • Government buildings
  • Schools (including a university and community college campuses)
  • International Airport
  • Regional law enforcement support services

Other homeland security issues that the Laredo Police Department needs to address include:

Narcotics Trafficking

• Operation Stone Garden and Operation Black Jack were highly effective, time-specific, cooperative, multi-agency operational initiatives funded by DOJ. Extra law enforcement personnel were deployed throughout inner city and rural areas of Laredo, with the objective of intercepting illegal activity, providing criminal intelligence information for agency sharing activities, and provide a commanding presence along border crossing points. Both operations funded approximately $1,000,000 for Laredo Police overtime, including $727,000.00 for LPD overtime alone. Both the operations were successful in producing a bevy of criminal-intelligence information, a multitude of weapons confiscations and arrests, criminal apprehensions, including those related to narcotics charges, domestic terrorism activities, and other miscellaneous charges.
• Much of the money used to traffic narcotics has been linked to supporting terrorism. The Laredo Police Department actively reduces the amount of illegal drugs entering the United States, resulting in a decrease in terrorist funding.

• With four international bridges and a low-level international water boundary, Laredo experiences a large amount of legal and illegal immigrants entering the United States. Working in collaboration with federal authorities, the LPD also has the task of thoroughly checking these individuals for links to terrorist groups or activities.

• As the largest inland port on the southern U.S. border, a large amount of hazardous materials cross through and are stored in Laredo. Hazardous materials can be easily converted to weapons of mass destruction. LPD must have the latest training and equipment to be prepared for an emergency situation involving hazardous materials.

• The Rio Grande is the primary water source for the Cities of Laredo and Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Contamination of this water source would have detrimental effects on both sides of the border. LPD is also charged with protecting and patrolling this important natural resource.

• The September 11 attacks proved that airplanes can be used as weapons of mass destruction. The Laredo International Airport must maintain a high level of security to ensure this incident does not occur again. This is another area where LPD helps to augment the airport’s own security staff and assists with securing this vital hub of international air cargo.

• The City of Laredo has received state DHS funding to purchase a brand new, state-of-the-art communication system. DHS funding has awarded funds via the state for the purchase of a new 800 MHz digital communication system for radio interoperability and connectivity between all of the state, local, and federal public safety counterparts during any emergency crisis, most especially those that could well involve either a vulnerable foreign or domestic terrorism threat. The key to good crisis management is obviously seamless communication between all agencies. To this end, the City of Laredo has incorporated an 800 MHz (Motorola) Digital Trunk Radio Communication System which - The City of Laredo has received state DHS funding to purchase a brand new, state-of-the-art communication system. DHS funding has awarded funds via the state for the purchase of a new 800 MHz digital communication system for radio interoperability and connectivity between all of the state, local, and federal public safety counterparts during any emergency crisis, most especially those that could well involve either a vulnerable foreign or domestic terrorism threat. The key to good crisis management is obviously seamless communication between all agencies. To this end, the City of Laredo has incorporated an 800 MHz (Motorola) Digital Trunk Radio Communication System which became fully operational this summer to ensure that all agencies can talk to each other during emergency situations. The limited DHS funding received from the state along with City bond monies were pooled together for the outright purchase of both the radio systems’ infrastructure and all of its related components. Agencies at the federal, state and local levels will now have instant access to seamless communication interoperability to effectively deal with any crisis as soon as interlocal agreements are in place.
• LPD has since purchased the following items using federal funds
  • Purchased an Emergency Mobile Command Center.
  • Purchased new E911 radio communication equipment.
  • Created a bomb unit; certified two officers and a trained K9; and, purchased necessary equipment.
  • Purchased Mobile Video Cameras for marked police vehicles.
  • Currently purchasing more Mobile Data Terminals (MDTs) for all police vehicles.
• LPD still needs (and requests) additional federal DHS funding to:
  • Increase the number of patrol officers hired.
  • Increase the number of patrol cars and police equipment purchased.
  • Purchase an air support unit (fully equipped Helicopter)
  • Purchase an additional armored SWAT vehicle and SWAT tactical vehicles for emergency high risk situations. 795-2875

The Laredo Police Department plays one of the most important roles in homeland security. The nation depends on its gatekeepers to keep a watchful eye and eliminate terrorists from entering the country. Funding is desperately needed to hire additional police officers and purchase equipment and technology to fulfill the department’s obligation to the rest of the country. Overtime funding is also needed to specifically address homeland security issues. Since Laredo is a border city, the LPD must do everything possible to ensure the rest of the country is safe from terrorism.

Continued and/or additional funding for law enforcement initiatives that mirror CBP’s Operation Cooperation; Operation Stone Garden; and/or Operation Black Jack, wherein there is serious funding for joint operational, intelligence-driven – information sharing – crime analyses; and, criminal deterrence/apprehension activities by law enforcement officers. The funding should not only cover operational activities’ overtime monies but, should also include funding for the hiring of additional law enforcement officers for all agencies involved; most especially for the state and local agencies.