Corruption at US border agency led to lie detectors
SAN DIEGO — When James Tomsheck joined U.S. Customs and Border Protection in 2006 as chief of internal affairs, the nation’s largest law enforcement agency was on an unprecedented hiring spree.
The Border Patrol, a part of CBP, held job fairs across the country, aired recruitment ads during Dallas Cowboys games and sponsored a NASCAR race car and bull-riding contests. The agency ballooned by nearly 8,000 agents in three years to more than 20,000 in 2009.
But breakneck growth brought unintended consequences that serve as a cautionary tale to President-elect Donald Trump and others who want more agents.
The number of employees arrested for misconduct, such as civil rights violations or off-duty crimes like domestic violence, grew each year between 2007 and 2012, reaching 336, a 44 per cent increase. Additionally, more than 100 employees were arrested or charged with corruption during the six-year span, including taking bribes to smuggle drugs or people.