Border Control, Safety Of Agents Of Top Concern During Border Patrol Conference

DETROIT (WWJ) - Use of force not only a hot topic for police agencies in the wake of Ferguson violence but as WWJ City Beat Reporter Vickie Thomas tells us, it's also a concern for border control agents.

Representing 17,000 border patrol agents in the U.S., Shawn Moran vice president of the National Border Patrol Counsel, told the group gathered Tuesday that safety is a top concern.

"Border patrol agents have a very dangerous job - it's a difficult job based on the terrain, the type of people we encounter who are willing to do whatever it takes to get illegal drugs, illegal aliens across the border," said Moran, "so, use of force does come up quite a bit."

Protecting the border between the U.S. and Canada was the subject of the special conference being held at Cobo Center but Moran says there are other attacks.

"Agents have been under attack from special interest groups ... we want to make sure the agents ability to defend themselves is protected."

"Congress has appropriated for us 2,000 additional customs and border protection officers - they will be throughout the United States," said Gil Kerlikowske, Commissioner, U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Moran found that statement, 'curious,' "because we want to make sure any agents we hire we can properly pay - you can't skimp on border security."

Agents are currently facing a 20 percent pay cut according to Moran.