2012 2016 Border Patrol National Strategy

The Mission: Protect America

2012-2016 Border Patrol National Strategy

Table of Contents
Message from the Chief ..................................................................................................................................... 4
Michael J. Fisher, Chief, U.S. Border Patrol

Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................................... 6

Goals, Objectives, Strategies, and Programs

Goal 1: Secure Americas Borders ................................................................................................................................................... 8
Objective 1.1: Objective 1.2: Objective 1.3: Objective 1.4: Objective 1.5: Prevent Terrorists and Terrorist Weapons from Entering the United States .......................................................... 8 Effectively Manage Risk ................................................................................................................................... 13 Disrupt and Dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations ......................................................................... 16 Increase and Sustain Certainty of Arrest ........................................................................................................... 18 Increase Community Engagement ................................................................................................................... 21

Goal 2: Strengthen the U.S. Border Patrol .................................................................................................................................. 23

Objective 2.1: Strengthen Our Investment in People and Capabilities .................................................................................... 23 Objective 2.2: Improve Organizational Processes, Systems, Doctrine ..................................................................................... 28 Objective 2.3: Enhance Overall Efficiency of the U.S. Border Patrol ........................................................................................ 30

2012-2016 Border Patrol National Strategy

MESSAGE FROM THE CHIEF

he U.S. Border Patrol has proudly protected our borders since its founding in 1924. Its mission has always been important. However, on 9/11, that mission immediately became more vital than ever before to our nations security. In light of the 9/11 attacks, the Border Patrols leadership recognized that it had to realign its priorities, resources, and organizational structure to focus on the new homeland security threat while simultaneously continuing to perform its important legacy missions including immigration enforcement and narcotics interdiction. Concurrently, the Border Patrol had to transition into a new parent organization created as part of the new Department of Homeland Security. For these reasons, the Border Patrol issued its first National Strategy in 2004. That Strategy facilitated both the Border Patrols successful achievement of its immediate post-9/11 goals and objectives and its smooth transition into U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

The 2012-2016 Border Patrol National Strategy represents an evolution from the 2004 Strategy to account for, and take advantage of, changes and improvements in the border environment and the Border Patrol since 9/11. Threats to our border have evolved since 2004, and the Border Patrols resources and capabilities to meet these threats have also grown. Accordingly, this National Strategy is structured to adjust to these evolving threats and to reflect the effectiveness of the Border Patrols additional resources and improved operational capabilities. Specifically, the 2012-2016 Strategy evolves from a resources-based approach toward a risk-based approach. This Strategy is built on a framework using Information, Integration and Rapid Response to better secure our border in the most risk-based, effective and efficient manner.

challenges to any enforcement strategy. Today, thanks in large part to the successful implementation of the 2004 Strategy, levels of illegal activity are substantially lower. This demonstrates that unprecedented levels of border security are within reach if we can successfully evolve our enforcement approaches to take advantage of past successes and meet these new security challenges. For this reason, the first goal of the 2012-2016 Strategy focuses on taking a risk-based approach to securing the border. This involves a set of objectives, strategies and programs that utilize Information, Integration and Rapid Response to develop and deploy new and better tools, processes and approaches to achieve the Patrols operational objectives. This means, for example, increasing the use of intelligence-driven operations to focus resources against the greatest threats. It means being more effective and efficient by using tools and methods like changedetection techniques. It also means working with Federal, state, local, tribal, and foreign partners in an integrated and targeted manner. In short, it means using Information, Integration and Rapid Response to leverage and focus the increased resources and organizational improvements from the 2004 Strategy to their maximum effect and achieve the most focused enforcement benefits against the greatest risks along our border. To gain the full benefits from these new and improved tools, techniques, and approaches, the Border Patrol also must achieve the second goal of this strategy: strengthening its own institutional capabilities. This means improving the skills and abilities of our personnel, optimizing our organizational structures and processes, and becoming a more mature, sophisticated law enforcement organization. When the goals of this 2012-2016 National Strategy are achieved, the Border Patrol will build upon its success and continue the improvements in border security that have been achieved since 9/11. The Border Patrol will increase and then sustain certainty of arrest of those who enter illegally between the ports of entry, reduce smuggling and crimes associated with smuggling, and ultimately prevent, and respond to potential terrorist entry along our Nations borders. We will do so in a way that matches capabilities to threat in a risk-based manner. We will continue to grow and mature the Border Patrol into one of the worlds premier law enforcement organizations, and we will continue to make our borders safer than they have ever been. Honor First.

The Post-9/11 Border Patrol National Strategy

The Border Patrols 2004 National Strategy focused on getting the Border Patrol organized and resourced to meet its new post-9/11 missions and to succeed in its new parent organization. For this reason, the 2004 Strategy had two primary focuses. First, it organized the Border Patrol to be more centralized and headquarters-driven so that new nationwide homeland security threats could be addressed nationally in a focused manner. Second, it focused on resources specifically, on continuing to acquire and deploy the right mix of personnel, technology, and infrastructure to incrementally gain control of our borders. The 2004 Strategy has been successfully implemented and has achieved impressive results. For the first time in its history, the Border Patrol now has an enhanced national headquarters structure capable of centralizing guidance and direction to its 20 subordinate sectors and the Border Patrol Academy. This centralization in a national headquarters was necessary to accomplish a national security mission, and it has helped to successfully guide the Border Patrol through a period of rapid resource growth in the field.

2012: A Risk-Based Border Patrol National Strategy

The 2012-2016 Strategy has two interrelated and interdependent goals. First, we will secure the border using Information, Integration and Rapid Response in a risk-based manner. Second, we will grow, mature and strengthen the Border Patrol so that it is able to take full advantage of these new tools and approaches. This Strategy represents a natural evolution from an under-resourced organization focused on obtaining sufficient personnel, technology and infrastructure to an organization that is managing rapid growth and is focused on using these additional resources in the most effective and efficient manner to achieve the maximum enforcement benefits. Indeed, prior to the Border Patrols recent growth, the sheer volume of illegal cross-border activity posed 4
U.S. Border Patrol

Michael J. Fisher Chief U.S. Border Patrol

2012-2016 Border Patrol National Strategy

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The 2012-2016 National Strategy is a risk-based approach to border security. It focuses on using Information, Integration and Rapid Response to achieve two overall goals: securing Americas borders and strengthening the Border Patrol.

Increase and sustain the certainty of apprehension for illegal crossings between the POEs by expanding the Border Patrols situational awareness and employing a comprehensive and integrated whole-ofgovernment approach; and Increase Community Engagement by participating in community programs, using media relations, and leveraging the public to help us achieve our goals.

Goal 1: Secure Americas Borders

The Border Patrols fundamental mission is to secure our borders between Ports of Entry (POEs) against all threats, including terrorists and terrorist weapons, transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and illegal immigration. This strategy calls for the Border Patrol to take a risk-based, outcome-focused approach to achieving this mission. This will be achieved using tools, programs, techniques and approaches that are focused on applying Information, Integration and Rapid Response to be more focused, effective and efficient. The objectives of this goal are to: Prevent terrorists and terrorist weapons from entering the United States between the POEs with improved and focused intelligence-driven operations, as well as operational integration, planning, and execution with law enforcement partners; Effectively managing risk through the introduction and expansion of sophisticated tactics, techniques, and procedures. These include methods of detecting illegal entries such as using change detection techniques, increased mobile response capabilities, and expanded use of specially trained personnel with force multiplying skills and abilities; Disrupt and dismantle transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) by targeting enforcement efforts against the highest priority threats and expanding programs that reduce smuggling and crimes associated with smuggling;
U.S. Border Patrol

Goal 2: Strengthen the Border Patrol

Goal 1 focuses on becoming more effective, efficient and risk-based using Information, Integration and Rapid Response. However, to effectively utilize these programs, tools and approaches and to succeed in our border security mission the Border Patrol must continue to evolve and improve as an organization. The Border Patrol will grow and mature its institutional capabilities by: Strengthening its investment in people and capabilities through improved education, training, and support of Border Patrol personnel; Improving organizational processes, systems and doctrine by standardizing reporting and planning processes and introducing improved tools to collect, measure, and analyze measures and metrics to improve outcomes; and Enhancing overall efficiency by improving planning, resource allocation, and acquisition processes.

End State
The U.S. Border Patrol will manage risk along our nations borders to prevent terrorism, increase and sustain certainty of arrest of those who enter illegally into the US, and reduce smuggling and crimes associated with smuggling.
2012-2016 Border Patrol National Strategy

2012-2016 Border Patrol National Strategy

GOALS, OBJECTIVES, STRATEGIES, and PROGRAMS

Goal 1: Secure Americas Borders
The U.S. Border Patrol protects the American people from the entry of dangerous goods and people between the POEs. This is inclusive of all threats, including terrorists and terrorist weapons, transnational criminal organizations and illegal immigration. This strategy will leverage Information, Integration and Rapid Response to secure our borders against all types of illegal entries in a manner that is risk-based and prioritizes capabilities against the highest threats.

Strategy: Intelligence-Driven Operations

Identifying and developing a comprehensive understanding of terrorist and transnational criminal threats to our Nations borders continue to be of paramount importance to the Border Patrols mission. We must operate effectively by strategically utilizing intelligence to ensure Border Patrol operations are focused and targeted against potential terrorist threats and against TCOs. In order to accomplish our mandated mission, we must continue to integrate our intelligence and enforcement capabilities into the planning and execution of CBP operations.

Program: Intelligence Synthesis

Objective 1.1

Prevent Terrorists and Terrorist Weapons from Entering the U.S.

Since the events of September 11, 2001, preventing terrorist attacks has become the highest priority mission of many departments and agencies within the United States Government and especially within DHS. The Border Patrol plays a significant part in this collaborative and critical effort. We must be able to utilize intelligence gathered by our own means or that of our partners in the Intelligence Community to conduct operations to prevent the entry of terrorists and terrorist weapons across our borders. We must also be able to gather relevant intelligence and share it with our partners to enhance their ability to execute their portion of this effort. 8
U.S. Border Patrol

The current risk environment in which the Border Patrol and other law enforcement agencies operate is characterized by a variety of constantly evolving terrorist and transnational criminal threats that are both complex and variable. The capacity to develop timely, well-formulated, and actionable intelligence is vital to the prevention and disruption of threats to our borders. The Border Patrol will meet this challenge by supporting a well-integrated intelligence platform which promotes information sharing throughout the foreign and domestic law enforcement community. This endeavor is accomplished through the integration and support of Border Patrol intelligence frameworks and other intelligence entities such as CBP Office of Intelligence and Investigative Liaison (OIIL), DHS Border Intelligence Fusion Section (BIFS), Border Enforcement Coordination Center (BECC), Border Intelligence Center (BIC) and the State and Local Fusion Centers (SLFC).

Strategy: Foreign Law Enforcement Agency Training

Coordination with our foreign law enforcement partners is important to both gathering information and intelligence to understand potential terrorist and transnational criminal threats and to assist our overseas partners with their own operations so that terrorists and criminals are identified and interdicted before they attempt to enter the U.S. For these reasons, the Foreign Operations Branch (FOB) works in coordination with the Office of International Affairs to provide Border Patrol Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) abroad to fulfill a variety of training needs. Training missions range from basic Border Patrol presentations to tactical
2012-2016 Border Patrol National Strategy

Goal 1: Secure Americas Borders

Objective 1.2

Effectively Manage Risk

The Border Patrol has made significant progress in securing the borders since the 9/11 attacks by applying the right mix of personnel, technology and infrastructure to our nations borders. These new capabilities have made our borders significantly more secure. However, threats to our border continue to evolve and the Border Patrols capabilities to meet these threats have grown. Accordingly, as we evolve from a resourcebased approach toward a riskbased approach, we must be able to focus our new capabilities against the highest threats to predict and rapidly respond to changes in risk along the border. Capabilities may be resources, improved intelligence, and better partnerships with other agencies or the temporary deployment of mobile Border Patrol units. As risk is reduced, capabilities may be reallocated to other priority areas.

skills to highly technical table-top exercises sponsored by various United States Government entities to include the State Department and the Department of Defense. The FOB also receives training support requests from other federal agencies operating in our partner nations. Border Patrol agents from the Special Operations Group are often requested to provide specialized training tailored to the specific needs of our partner nations.

Strategy: Change Detection Capability

Change Detection Capability is a tactical strategy utilizing various techniques to gather information and intelligence in areas of the operational environment previously determined to be low risk. Change detection capabilities increase the level of situational awareness in all areas, including those areas currently assessed at a low level of risk. Change detection capability allows the Border Patrol to continue to focusing capabilities on areas where risk is currently highest, but ensure that any adaptations by threats can be quickly identified through information and intelligence gathered and appropriate steps taken to rapidly minimize any new risk. Periodic reconnaissance patrols, sign-cutting and tracking, UAS overflights, and interaction with partners in the area or the populace in general are examples of the tactical tool that will be employed to determine if new threats are present in an area. This determination will inform our response to that threat in order to minimize the risk.
2012-2016 Border Patrol National Strategy

Program: International Liaison Unit

The national International Liaison Unit (ILU) program fosters local partnerships, trust and mutual understanding between the U.S. Border Patrol and the Governments of Canada and Mexico in order to increase border cooperation, security and safety. For example, the ILU initiates monthly meetings with the Canadian and Mexican Embassies to discuss mutual concerns and facilitate local communication on issues such as exercises to test the joint response capabilities and coordination to a catastrophic event. The ILU facilitates information sharing between governments and agencies involved in the cooperative effort of ensuring border security. 10
U.S. Border Patrol

11

Goal 1: Secure Americas Borders

Strategy: Mobile Response Capability

Given the dynamic nature of cross-border threats, we must ensure that our organization becomes more mobile in order to appropriately respond to the changing threat. This mobile response capability will give the Border Patrol the flexibility and agility to deploy additional capabilities to the highest risk areas of the border. We will be able to deploy appropriate capabilities to areas before they become high risk to maintain the highest possible levels of security in each border area. This capability builds on situational awareness because we must know when, where and to what extent to deploy our resources.

responds to intelligence-driven targets and shifts in local cross-border criminal activity, as deemed necessary by the Chief Patrol Agents. The MRT provides a flexible and enhanced tiered-response capability to counter the emerging, changing, and evolving threats along the challenging operational areas along our Nations borders.

Program: Special Operations Group

The Border Patrol Special Operations Group (SOG) is composed of two operational components: Border Patrol Tactical Unit (BORTAC), Border Patrol Search Trauma and Rescue (BORSTAR), and robust support and intelligence sections. SOG provides DHS, CBP and the Border Patrol with specially trained and equipped tactical teams capable of rapid response to emergent and/or unusual law enforcement situations requiring special tactics and techniques, search, rescue and medical response capabilities via land, air and sea.
U.S. Border Patrol 2012-2016 Border Patrol National Strategy

Program: Mobile Response Team

The Mobile Response Team (MRT) provides a national group of organized, trained, and equipped Border Patrol Agents capable of rapid movement to regional and national incidents and events, in support of priority CBP operations. The MRT also 12

13

Goal 1: Secure Americas Borders

Strategy: Leverage Technology

Border Patrol agents using technology continues to be an important capability and force multiplier for the Border Patrol and its partners. The Border Patrol leverages various forms of technology to gain situational awareness to better detect, identify, monitor, and respond to threats to our nations borders. Without technology, the Border Patrol cannot operate in an effective, efficient, and risk-based manner.

Objective 1.3

Disrupt and Dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations

Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) represent a significant cross-border threat to homeland security. TCOs control most cross-border trafficking in guns and illegal drugs, an increasing percentage of human smuggling, and are responsible for acts of violence.

Program: Technology Portfolio

The Border Patrol manages its requirements for existing and emerging technology at the Headquarters level. The Border Patrol assesses technology mission needs and capability gaps and works with its CBP partners including the offices of Information Technology (OIT) and Technology, Innovation and Acquisition (OTIA) to manage requirements through a mission analysis process, from beginning to end, to ensure that the Border Patrols technology needs are addressed properly through documentation, prioritization, test and deployment. The Border Patrol also works to identify and develop potential emerging technologies that can support current and future mission needs.

Strategy: Targeted Enforcement

Due to the ever expanding and diverse threats facing at our Nations borders, the U.S. Border Patrol has adopted a targeted enforcement posture to prevent and disrupt terrorist and transnational threats. Targeting threats between the ports of entry through sound intelligence and analysis translates organizational priorities into strategic, risk-based, operational plans and focused deployment of resources.

Program: Targeted Enforcement Programs

Program: Analysis of Alternatives (AoA)

The Analysis of Alternatives (AoA) ensures that each stations Integrated Mission Analysis of threats, vulnerabilities and risks is used appropriately to determine the proper integration of manpower, technology, and tactical infrastructure to meet the needs of the stations or sectors most operationally deficient AOR if a resources-based solution is deemed necessary. 14
U.S. Border Patrol

Due to the dynamic nature of threats faced between the POEs, the Border Patrol has employed coordinated efforts to strengthen security through targeted enforcement programs. The programs that have become critical in promoting targeted enforcement are evident in Operations Streamline, Outbound, and Stonegarden. Furthermore, the Border Patrol supports the National Targeting Center in its efforts to utilize intelligence and systems to screen potential threats through the use of targeting systems such as the Automated Targeting System (ATS).
2012-2016 Border Patrol National Strategy

15

Goal 1: Secure Americas Borders Program: Operation Streamline

Operation Streamline criminally prosecutes for illegal entry (8 USC 1325) undocumented immigrants who enter into the U.S. through any designated targeted enforcement zone. Areas of priority focus are identified based on statistical data and gathered intelligence. Operation Streamline is a multi-agency effort that relies heavily upon the collaborative efforts of the U.S. Magistrate, Federal Judiciary, U.S. Attorneys Office, U.S. Marshals Service, Office of Chief Counsel, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of Detention and Removal, and Executive Office of Immigration Review (EOIR).

Program: Alien Transfer and Exit Program (ATEP)

The Alien Transfer and Exit Program (ATEP) allows for the transportation of aliens out of an apprehending Border Patrol Sector for their subsequent removal to Mexico through another Border Patrol Sector along the Southwest border. The program is designed to disrupt Alien Smuggling Organizations (ASO) operating in each of the participating sectors. This initiative is supported by prosecutorial efforts that are taken to support the concept of Breaking the Smuggling Cycle, by separating aliens from organized smugglers and to further reinforce consequences against those attempting to illegally enter the United States.

Objective 1.4
Increase and Sustain Certainty of Arrest
A critical component of securing the borders is to increase and sustain certainty of arrest of any persons or goods being illegally brought across our borders. As the certainty increases, this places a heavy strain on the resources of TCOs, severely degrading their ability to operate, as high arrest rates cause smuggling to cease to be a profitable endeavor.

Strategy: Consequence Delivery

The Consequence Deliver System (CDS) develops effective strategies to disrupt and dismantle transnational criminal organizations and distribution networks. CDS measures the consequences applied to persons illegally entering the country against defined alien classifications. The CDS provides a process designed to uniquely evaluate each subject and apply the appropriate post-arrest consequences to that individual in order to break the smuggling cycle and end the subjects desire to attempt further illegal entry. CDS is a means of standardizing the decision-making process regarding the application of consequences. CDS gives the Border Patrol the ability to examine the efficiency and effectiveness of individual consequences on various classes of aliens.

Strategy: Situational Awareness

Situational awareness is a critical component of securing our Nations borders. Situational awareness is developed by blending reconnaissance, technology, and information sharing through partnerships and unified command structures, and intelligence to gain the best possible understanding of the threats we are facing along our Nations borders.
U.S. Border Patrol 2012-2016 Border Patrol National Strategy

Program: Prosecutions
Criminal prosecution is the traditional means by which aliens are held responsible for their illegal actions. Using prosecutions to deliver consequences for illegal crossborder activity is a critical element in the larger border security strategy. Cooperation is key to the success of the prosecution program which requires the support of the U.S. Attorneys Office and other Federal, state and local partners. 16

17

Goal 1: Secure Americas Borders

Strategy: Whole-of-Government Approach

Border Patrol operational elements work together with Federal, State, Local and Tribal law enforcement partners to achieve a unity of purpose and maximize operational integration to achieve a holistic approach to border security (e.g., developing intelligence, planning targeted operations, etc.). Unity of purpose, operational integration, intelligence fusion, and integrated partnerships all serve to define the current and collective efforts in border security. This sharing of resources coupled with the application of the principles of targeted and focused enforcement, consequence delivery and operational discipline, provides the capability necessary to enhance the Border Patrol and its partners to address threats or emergencies within a region.

Program: Border Patrol Special Coordination Center

The Border Patrol Special Coordination Center (BPSCC) is a critical program in our adoption of a whole of government approach to law enforcement. The BPSCC acts as a liaison between the Border Patrol and the Department of Defense (DoD) through Joint Task Force-North (JTF-N). The cell is co-located with JTF-N at Fort Bliss, El Paso, Texas and serves as the focus of our efforts to synchronize DoD support to Law Enforcement and our own strategic goals and objectives.

Operational Progression
Coordination
(Collaboration/De-confliction)

Integration
Information Sharing
Recognized Importance

Fusion
Information Sharing and Joint Planning Toward Specific Objective Is Critical
Governed by Accomplishment of Stated Objective

Predicated on Relationships
Unsustainable over time Informal

Success

Sporadic/Joint Planning Nice to Have Governed by Activity Output Based

Ad-hoc Not by design Difficult to replicate

Strategy: Comprehensive Approach

The U.S. Border Patrol builds coalitions with local, state, tribal and international law enforcement agencies, public service entities, and other identified stakeholders to develop a common operational strategy in the border environment to ensure unity of effort and maximum enforcement benefits from combined resources. Our mission involves a multitude of entities working together in a seamless and integrated way to prevent terrorism and transnational threats at the earliest opportunity and ensure our nations shared communities, critical infrastructure, and populations are mutually prepared and protected through bi-national and bilateral security, resilience, and response protocols.

Need to Have Outcome Based

Phase 1

TIME

Phase 2

TIME

Phase 3

Program: State, County, and Local Task Forces

Objective 1.5

Members of the U.S. Border Patrol are assigned to various counter narcotics and counter crime/terrorism task forces at the local law enforcement level. These task forces work on drug and violent crimes associated with narcotics trafficking that affect the border communities and concentrate on a coordinated response to disrupt, dismantle and defeat terrorist and criminal organizations.

Increase Community Engagement

The U.S. Border Patrol will continue to use its collective capabilities to engage and educate the public about border activities and issues so the Border Patrol can leverage the critical assistance of border communities.

Program: Federal Task Forces

Strategy: Reduce Crime and Violence

Program: Operation Detour

Recognizing the jurisdictional complexity of the border environment, partnerships with Federal counterparts are essential for the Border Patrol to achieve our goals. These partnerships are critical at the operational and tactical levels as well as at the strategic and policy levels, where we must coordinate policies and ensure adherence to relevant laws and regulations. The Border Patrol has further strengthened its law enforcement partnerships along the border by co-locating and integrating our assets and personnel with those within other law enforcement organizations and offering reciprocal opportunities to our colleagues, consistent with applicable laws and authorities. The nature of shared communities and shared infrastructure requires that our approach involve further developing and enhancing unity of effort by CBP and among all our Federal partners. 18
U.S. Border Patrol

Crime in border communities is a key threat. Engagement with local law enforcement and the public can reduce this threat, lower crime, and prevent violence from spilling over from the opposite sides of U.S. borders. Operation Detour is a community outreach program conducted in conjunction with local school systems which began in the Del Rio, Texas Border Patrol Sector and has expanded along the Southwest Border. It educates the young adults of border communities about the dangers and consequences of decisions that may involve Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) and outlines ways in which these TCOs may approach students to involve them in criminal activity. The program provides a real and true sense of the horrors and
2012-2016 Border Patrol National Strategy

19

Goal 1: Secure Americas Borders

tragedies that befall individuals and their families once involved with the narco-terrorism world. Students are encouraged to think for themselves, to avoid peer pressure, and to reach out to parents, teachers, counselors, or law enforcement if they are asked to work for a TCO.

Explorers. The dissemination of operational achievements and challenges is essential to foster support from our partners and stakeholders.

Program: Drug Demand Reduction Programs

Drug Demand Reduction Programs are public service campaigns targeted at the communitys youth (ages 14-18) in an effort to educate them and the community about the dangers and consequences of drug use and involvement with drug trafficking/criminal organizations by utilizing graphic depictions, video, and live discussion. Focusing on the youth of the community, these programs provide a real and true sense of the horrors and tragedies that befall individuals, and their families, who become involved with narcotics smuggling and the narco-terrorism underworld.

Program: Congressional Staffer Academies

The purpose of the Congressional Staffer Academy is to educate and inform interested Congressional staff regarding the strategy, capabilities, challenges, achievements, and future of the U.S. Border Patrol. This builds relationships with key personnel who have oversight for our agency.

Program: Border Community Liaison

The purpose of this program is to facilitate the national expansion of relationships and interactions with government, law enforcement, non-government agencies, border-community partners, and Border Patrol offices (i.e., sectors and the Border Patrol Academy). The Border Community Liaison Program provides stakeholders with a designated point of contact at Border Patrol offices and encourages communication between the Border Patrol and its border-community partners.

Strategy: Community and Stakeholder Outreach

External messaging through proactive media releases, interviews, and ride-alongs will be provided to local, national and international press and other community stakeholders. Stakeholders will be educated through briefings, tours, informal meetings, and stakeholder academies. Some existing programs include the Border Patrol Heroes Project and the Border Patrol History Project, Border Community Liaison, anti-drug campaigns, Operation Detour, Ranch Liaison, Citizens Academies, town-hall meetings, and the 20
U.S. Border Patrol

Program: Citizens Academy

The Citizens Academy informs the general public on the organizational structure of DHS, CBP, and the Border Patrol. This academy is designed to familiarize the community with an overview of the complex and challenging enforcement skills taught to all new Border Patrol agents at the Border Patrol Academy, in addition to insight into the daily challenges Border Patrol agents face as they perform their duties. Participants have the opportunity to experience hands-on training in firearms, and border patrol operations. The classes provide an in-depth understanding of the history of the Border Patrol, Border Patrol Strategy and mission; immigration, canine, and checkpoint law; and demonstrations on felony stops, and search and seizure.
2012-2016 Border Patrol National Strategy

21

GOALS, OBJECTIVES, STRATEGIES, and PROGRAMS

Goal 2: Strengthen the U.S. Border Patrol
As a component of both CBP and DHS, the Border Patrol must continue to mature, refine, and integrate its capabilities and techniques. To meet current and future operational and organizational requirements, it is necessary to develop, deploy, and manage institutional capabilities within the Border Patrol. This includes areas such as doctrine and governance development, training, leadership development, organizational integrity, technology research and development, and personnel management.

Objective 2.1
Strengthen Our Investment in People and Capabilities
People are our most valuable asset. Leaders must ensure that the U.S. Border Patrol hires and trains the best people and that future leaders receive the best possible education, training, and professional development.

Strategy: Invest in Human Capital

The availability, marketability, and utilization of advanced education directly impact our agencys mission accomplishment. The Border Patrol will adopt a three-tiered approach to enable employees to take advantage of developmental opportunities. These measures include: Increasing the pool of applicants through an agency-wide media campaign to increase program awareness of available programs; Deliberate placement after completion of advanced educational opportunites to leverage enhanced skills and abilites; and Monitoring those who have successfully completed advanced education and training for future leadership opportunities.

Program: Communications Field Focus Groups

Focus groups are conducted to increase communication between Headquarters and the field by engaging managers, supervisors, and employees (e.g., Border Patrol agents and mission-support personnel) in open dialogue. The issues are specific to location, duty, positions, and interaction to the Border Patrol as a whole. This face-to-face, open dialogue builds inter-agency trust and enables employees to be able to speak more openly and freely. The focus groups and subsequent surveys are conducted in person to increase participation and discussions. This allows a more accurate reflection of the issues, concerns, and communication gaps between Headquarters and the field.

Program: National Critical Incident Response Team

As mobility continues to be an integral part of our day-to-day operations, attention must be given to minimize the impact on our employees wellbeing. The National Critical Incident Response Team (NCIRT), a component of the Border Patrols Traumatic Incident Management Plan, supports CBP employees involved in small and large-scale critical incident operations. The team consists of Peer Support Members, Chaplains, and mental health professionals who have received specialized training in critical incident response management. Victims of, and responders to, traumatic events may be prone to certain reactions. When left unaddressed, they can result in negative long-term consequences. NCIRT provides affected personnel with targeted architectural stress management to assist personnel in resistance, resilience and recovery during traumatic life events. 22
U.S. Border Patrol

Program: Mentoring
Expansion and reorganization of our agencys mentoring program will enable institutional knowledge to be passed on from mature leaders to newly promoted managers.
2012-2016 Border Patrol National Strategy

23

Goal 2: Strengthen the U.S. Border Patrol

Program: Inter-Agency Assignments

Temporary, inter-agency assignments enhance employee professional development and agency capability. Employees learn critical management skills though diverse assignments. The agency will benefit from the cross pollination of best practices, increased awareness of agency goals, and the holistic understanding of border security.

Headquarters personnel, as well as advisors and subject-matter experts from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Offices of Internal Affairs, Chief Counsel, Human Resources Management, and Field Operations (OFO). The U.S. Border Patrol is also represented on the Commissioners Integrity Integrated Planning and Coordination Committee (Integrity IPCC), which reviews integrity-related efforts throughout CBP. In addition, Border Patrol personnel are working with OFOs Analytical Management Systems Control Office to assess the feasibility of using agent-related anomalies in various CBP systems as indicators of potential integrity issues.

Program: Anti-Corruption
Corruption within our workforce poses a threat unlike any other. The U.S. Border Patrol is fortunate in that documented cases of corrupt employees represent only a minute percentage of the workforce. However, any instance of corruption within our ranks always has been and always will be unacceptable. The Border Patrol Integrity Advisory Committee (IAC) was chartered in September, 2008, to provide strategic recommendations to combat corruption and promote integrity among all U.S. Border Patrol employees. It is composed of a select group of Border Patrol field and 24
U.S. Border Patrol

Program: Employee Comportment and Resilience Committee

Employee comportment (personal integrity and conduct) and resilience (ability to recover readily from adversity) are key factors in the agencys ability to effectively execute the mission. The agency will evaluate and determine the qualitative variables that enable mission success, sustain high morale, and promote a professional, healthy, and robust workforce and will leverage all necessary resources to develop and maintain a resilient culture, forged in integrity, that facilitates the rapid mobilization and integration of personnel.

2012-2016 Border Patrol National Strategy

25

Goal 2: Strengthen the U.S. Border Patrol

Objective 2.2

Improve Organizational Processes, Systems, and Doctrine

As the Border Patrol grows and matures, it is necessary to codify best practices, policy and processes to ensure that the organization continues to provide professional border enforcement capability for the United States.

Strategy: Organizational Planning

As the Border Patrol continues to mature and grow into the 21st Century, the selection and application of doctrinal planning processes are required. There are numerous techniques available for tactical, operational and strategic planning. Border Patrol agents must recognize the differences in these types of planning and adopt the appropriate ones for the situation. While an agent educated in these planning processes should serve in a planning capacity, his or her career path should not be restricted to such assignments rather these assignments should be seen as a stepping stone to achieving higher level field commands.
U.S. Border Patrols Risk Based Approach

Developing and institutionalizing doctrine within the organization will help execute the long term strategy and enable the Border Patrol to operate on a standard that captures necessary change and allows operations to function smoothly. The Office of Border Patrol is working to develop doctrine as a process to seamlessly link the operating force to emerging Tactics, Techniques and Procedures (TTP) and best practices while additionally focusing on enduring principles and techniques that remain the hallmark of a professional operation. Doctrine will focus on overarching enduring principles, sector operations and future border security initiatives that all agents can use to execute their mission in the field.

Program: Apprehension Analysis

Sectors use the Apprehension Analysis Report (AAR) to provide a view of the current operational condition. Commanders use this tool to help determine the level of success of their current course of action and inform subsequent decisions. The Apprehension Analysis Report (AAR) was designed using newly developed metrics and data collection capabilities. This report includes eight separate data sets and is available for various time periods and geographic locations. Each of the data points on the AAR are significant and have relevant operational applications, both as leading and lagging indicators, as well as showing the resultant changes through trend analysis.

Program: Integrated Mission Analysis

IMA supports the Border Patrols risk-based approach to border security by integrating operational and threat conditional assessments. Once harnessed, these operational statistics and threat indicators and warnings will be used to measure risk. Outputs from the IMA will aid security stakeholders in determining operational gaps and critical threats, vulnerabilities and risks. As a result, commanders will have both the data and analysis to effectively and efficiently track, assess and forecast risk. Ultimately, the IMA will assist commanders in managing identified risks by allowing them to make better, more timely decisions to: Sustain current capabilities; Divest from capabilities; Reallocate resources; Commit mobile response capabilities; Implement non-material solutions; Deploy urgent solutions; Develop new operational capabilities; and Harness external resources. 26
U.S. Border Patrol

Strategy: Reorganize and Realign Headquarters for Maximum Efficiency

The Border Patrol is developing a Table of Organization (TO) which delineates chain of command and identifies each border patrol agent and operational support position. The TO enhances the Border Patrols ability to make critical resource allocation and prioritization decisions thereby aligning staff resources to achieve maximum mission effectiveness.

Strategy: Standardize Organizational Structures for Sector Headquarters and Stations

The Border Patrol standardized the organization structures for the Northern, Coastal and Southwest border sector headquarters and stations. The organizational structure: creates uniformity in how sectors and stations are organized throughout the Border Patrol; aligns functions throughout sector headquarters; establishes a unified command for station management at the sector headquarters; supports succession management with progressive leadership opportunities; and creates a path to station and executive leadership positions.
2012-2016 Border Patrol National Strategy

27

Goal 2: Strengthen the U.S. Border Patrol

Objective 3

Strategic Outcome Measures

As a testament to its progression toward organizational rigor and maturity, the Border Patrol will hold itself to high standards established by comprehensive, demanding, and results-oriented measures. Even as the organization internalizes these standards, it must also effectively communicate overall performance to its most important stakeholders the American public. Accountability for each of the objectives in the 2012-2016 National Strategy means the Border Patrol will measure and in many cases publicly report performance in areas, including: The ability to direct appropriate levels of capability to identified high risk areas along our Nations borders; Improved situational awareness and detection capabilities; Effective response times, mobility, and manpower efficiencies; Accomplishment of a high probability of apprehension of those who seek to enter the country illegally, as well as seizures of contraband; Contributions to disrupting the smuggling cycle through systematic delivery of consequences to those apprehended; Delivery of tangible impacts that help reduce border-related crime and violence; Outreach and cooperation with the public; Ability to engage a strong workforce through hiring, learning opportunities and key support programs; Insistence on excellent management practices; Development and integration of self-evaluation processes to ensure adherence to missions, goals and objectives; Implementation of environmentally sound and resource efficient plans of action; and Institutionalization of cost-saving practices. 29

Enhance Overall Efficiency of the U.S. Border Patrol

It is the U.S. Border Patrols responsibility to ensure that its leadership, agents and support personnel are good stewards of American tax dollars. We must ensure that we select and resource only those programs that are necessary and that our execution is responsible and efficient.

Strategy: Efficiencies in Resource Allocations

It is important that resource allocations are consistently applied toward maximizing their operational impact on the mission. A comprehensive Command Budget Guidance will be issued annually and will play a major role in formulating the resource requirements for conducting the day-to-day activities and functions within the Headquarters and in the field. The guidance will identify commonality in acquisition methods which will lead to strategic sourcing initiatives to provide for cost efficiencies and the maximization of appropriated funding. The effective utilization of resources will also be achieved through the planning, programming, budgeting, and accountability (PPBA) process and the proper alignment of resources along identified lines of business (LOB) for the Border Patrol. The Resource Allocation Plan (RAP) for the Border Patrol budget will continue to be refined along the appropriate LOBs, sub-programs and activities that support the primary mission of securing Americas borders.

Program: Executive Governance Board

The Border Patrol requires a governance structure to ensure that its investments are in alignment with the vision, strategic goals and overall mission priorities of the agency. The Executive Governance Board will be implemented to achieve substantive improvement in key interdivisional and sector business processes. The Board will incorporate standardized implementation methodologies under a governance framework, along with providing awareness of, advocacy for, and collaboration on current and future investments. 28
U.S. Border Patrol

2012-2016 Border Patrol National Strategy

30

U.S. Border Patrol