Report: Some high-tech border surveillance systems not working

KVOA, Tucson Arizona ^ | April 12, 2005, 09:31 AM | AP/KVOA

[axes_of_weezles]

Hundreds of sensors and cameras designed to detect undocumented immigrants along U.S. borders were not working last year or were not installed in a timely manner, according to an audit report.

Federal inspectors visited three Arizona sites last year, Nogales, Naco and Tucson, and found none of the remote surveillance systems was fully operational.

snip

In Naco, auditors said they found equipment in storage and camera poles lying in the desert next to a border patrol station while in Nogales, the equipment had been delivered but installation was still in progress last summer.

[axes_of_weezles]

Remember this when you hear of the BP whining about the Minutement setting off sensors. Lying bastards. (BP that is)

[U S Army EOD]

I heard the "low tech" border patrol wasn't working much either.

[Libertina]

Right you are. Border Patriot BUMP!

[Old Sarge]

Notify the crowd...

[tomball]

A whole lot of things haven't been working for a long time. Faulty equipment is only the tip of the ice berg. Nice to know at least this much is being reported.

[HiJinx]

I think it's a duplicate, different source. A ping couldn't hurt, though!

Maybe get some new discussion this way.

Remember, our weapons' systems and other Government-contracted items are being built by the lowest bidder!

[Fast1]

Amazing we will have to "Import" security devices I would suggest Israel since America is incapable of making anything that works any more.

[occutegirl]

Are these the sensors the Minutemen were setting off?

[injin]

build the Wall...........

[HiJinx]

I don't think so...the longer article talked about mast mounted video/infrared sensors, not underground motion sensors.

The cameras are in use down here, some have even been shot out from across the border.

[BillF]

I'm all for the Minutemen, even IF they occasionally and inadvertantly set off sensors. The Minutemen have alerted the BP to illegals, discouraged the illegals from crossing in the Minutemen areas based on illegals' fear of detection, and generally complicated the law-breaking, among other benefits.

That said, respectfully, isn't it jumping the gun to say that the BP is lying about the sensors?

The article says SOME (not necessarily all) sensors are not working and none of the sensors are working COMPLETELY in the three mentioned locations.

Therefore, some sensors could still be working sufficiently at the Minutemen area to trigger the alleged false alarms, right?

[kittymyrib]

We don' need no steekin' sensors. We have the crack Border Patrol keeping our borders safe, or at least that's what the MSM is saying every day that the Minutemen have been out there.

[Afronaut]

I would guess that they would use the Cameras to get an accurate count of the new "Migrants"

[axes_of_weezles]

The problem is, this is an audit. It shows incompetence and technical illiteracy, and possibly a conflict with the Unions, since automated sensors and cameras would be used to verify sensor alerts versus a truck roll. This is exactly what the BP was bitching about.
It shows technical incompetence, period.
It shows poor program management.
It shows a waste of resources, tax money - mine and yours.
I suppose you dont mind tax money being wasted.
Cast the pearls amongst the swine.

[Founding Father]

Your post triggered an idea. It's about time we get something back from Israel in return for all the aid we give them. I suggest they be put in charge of building a wall across our southern border and patrolling it. I'd even pay them something for doing it. Can't think of a better group to protect us from the illegals.

[Boiling point]

I hate the PC label "Undocumented Immigrant". I prefer something a little more accurate and descriptive, like "Parasitic Invaders".

[Nowhere Man]

You know what amazes me is that in the Vietnam War, we developed sensots that could be deployed by air and track the NVA, Viet Cong and their vehicles during Operation Linebacker and Linebacker II among other times, yet we cannot do so on our borders. Plus WE DID THIS WITH 1960'S TECHNOLOGY so I'm sure we are more technically advanced now 35+ years later so I'm sure we can do it now if we could do it then. WE need to get crackin' on the border issue NOW.

[NRA2BFree]

Remember this when you hear of the BP whining about the Minutement setting off sensors. Lying bastards. (BP that is)

Yeah, it's really kinda hard to set off sensors that aren't working. I wonder if it's the BP's fault, or if this is the fault of those who want to allow illegals a clear path into America? You know, like an order from the top? Nah, what am I saying, there's no way our government would do such a thing. < / sarcasm >

[LNewman]

Reported previously from the Washington Post here:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1381429/posts

Near Buffalo, N.Y., IMC billed the government for 59 cameras but installed four, and in Naco, Ariz., unassembled high-tech gear was found lying in the desert, the report says. "No IMC personnel had been on-site since the equipment was delivered" in 2003, the report says.

[Serenissima Venezia]

Parasitic Invaders

That's a much more accurate term!