The Associated Press reports that the Department of Homeland Security will begin testing the use of dashboard cameras in U.S. Border Patrol trucks.
The move comes amid growing public concerns about use of force against detained immigrants by Border Patrol agents, and shortly after an internal report suggested better use-of-force training for agents. From the AP:
U.S. Customs and Border Protection described the changes to The Associated Press as resulting from an outside review, an internal audit and a separate report by the department's inspector general. The changes include a pilot program using dashboard cameras in agency vehicles and possibly lapel cameras attached to agents' uniforms, a senior official said. The agency also plans changes to its internal oversight of use-of-force training and how such incidents are tracked.
A recent report by the ACLU attributed at least 19 deaths to use of force by Border Patrol agents since 2010. And the Fronteras Desk has reported, the proposed immigration reform bill in Congress would do little to change use-of-force guidelines for the Border Patrol.
