ONLY ON KFOX: Customs Officers Assault Man, Report Says
Posted: 6:19 pm MDT August 22, 2007Updated: 3:14 pm MDT August 23, 2007
EL PASO, Texas -- A three-page El Paso Police report only KFOX has obtained alleges Carlos Adame Jr. was stopped on Aug. 11th by U.S. Customs officers at the Bridge of the Americas in downtown El Paso. The report says Adame was asked to pull into a separate lane for inspection, and he said he had to wait for a lengthy amount of time. When he asked a Customs officer what was taking so long, that's when things got out of hand, the report said.Adame sent pictures to KFOX showing a large red and purple bump on his head, along with cuts and bruises to his elbows, and a scratch behind his ear."The family has brought their concerns regarding an inspection to our attention," said Roger Maier with U.S. Customs and Border Protection.According to the police report, Adame said the inspection took a turn for the worse when a Customs officer sat him down on a metal bench by force. Adame goes on to say about six other Customs officers tackled him to the ground, causing the injuries."Their concerns are currently under administrative review within the agency. This is the type of thing we take very seriously," says Maier.The report said Adame had become impatient with the long wait, which Maier and others do understand."Long wait times and hot traffic and other issues can create situations of stress for the public and for our officers," said Maier."People are waiting in lines forever, so they are going to get frustrated. It's hot out there, they are probably sweating, so they are going to get frustrated," said Saul Soto, with the Border Network for Human Rights in El Paso.Soto believes with longer lines and hot temperatures, officers need to know what to do."If they don't recognize enough training in how to deal with this, not more aggression, not more putting down somebody, that's not going to work," said Soto."The level of training is very high, it's an important element of their curriculum while they are in the academy," said Maier.Maier went on to say that lots of training exists not just at the academy but also in the field, to handle situations just like the one that happened at the Bridge of the Americas.Maier said they average about one complaint for every million people passing through the El Paso border crossings.Despite multiple phone calls to Adame, he did not return KFOX's calls requesting an interview.
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