LAS CRUCES, N.M. -- Wednesday, Southern New Mexico Rep. Harry Teague announced nearly $1 million will be going to New Mexico Tech to provide for border law enforcement training. Even though that training will be taking place in Socorro, it will directly impact local law enforcement officers who protect the border in Dona Ana County.

The nearly $1 million will come from the Department of Justice to provide technical training to law enforcement at the state, local and tribal level for both Arizona and New Mexico, especially the agencies that are most susceptible to border crime and drug trafficking, such as here in Dona Ana County.

Goals and techniques used in training at New Mexico Tech will include controlling, reducing and preventing narcotics activities along the border. In achieving that, the New Mexico Tech tactical training will begin conducting a skills assessment summit followed by tactical training dealing with border narcotics-related kidnapping negotiation and rescue situations, high-risk drug warrant service, high-risk highway drug interdiction operations, and officer drug war survival.

"It's just a pro-active way for keeping our people prepared for whatever may come up," said Teague.

Over 1,300 law enforcement personnel will receive on-site training and an additional 3,000 will receive on-line training.