Citizens border group displaying its efforts Saturday

Sierra Vista Herald, Sierra Vista Arizona ^ | 9/17/03 | Bill Hess

[SandRat]

SIERRA VISTA -- A progress report, equipment display and briefings will take place Saturday when the American Border Patrol shows its high-tech capabilities.

Glenn Spencer, founder of the organization, said the theme of this year's event is "Illegal Immigration: What Citizens Are Doing."

To show the public the success of the American Border Patrol, a volunteer group that is not affiliated with the U.S. Border Patrol, Spencer said there will be static displays of a ground control station that controls unmanned aerial vehicles, ground sensors and other items in the organization's arsenal. The group monitors the illegal activities -- people and drugs -- crossing the border from Mexico into the United States.

"We might even ask the people to fill out a report on how they think we are doing -- a report card where they can give us an A, B, C, D, or F," he said.

The ground control station is a modified van that has the capability to control an unmanned aerial vehicle, connect with a satellite and feed the information through the Internet, Spencer said.

A flight simulator for the unmanned aerial vehicles will be available for children. Attendees also will be able to experience how ground sensors work, he added.

The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Windemere Hotel and Conference Center, with static displays open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. A progress report and briefings will be given from 1 to 4 p.m.

A number of computers will be available inside the Windemere for people to see a live video feed on the Internet, Spencer said.

Unmanned aerial vehicles that are part of the organization's flight program and other aircraft will be on display, Spencer said. File footage from the unmanned aerial vehicles showing illegal activities captured by cameras in the aircraft will be provided.

Spencer said he hopes the free and public event "will dispel a lot of myths and misunderstandings people have of what we do."

[SandRat]

If you are in the area come and see what can be done with just a little imagination and support from citizens in the battle against illegals.

All just to get the right information in a timely manner to the US Border Patrol to act on.

[SandRat]

It's PING TIME.

[truthkeeper]

bttt

[gubamyster]

ping

[hedgetrimmer]

Good for them!

[DoughtyOne]

Glenn is an individual who has been tireless against illegal immigration. The man puts his money where his mouth is. This is an important issue for him and he's done something about it. I appreciate that.

[glowworm]

A tiny suggestion to maybe publisize your efforts would be to hook a webcam to the drone and broadcast it over the net. Maybe that would make more ppl aware of how effective the technique would be as every concerned person could see for themselves on their own computers.

I was inspired during the first Gulf War as there was a camera on the Wailing Wall, in Jerusalem , day and night you could access and see the doings...

[VU4G10]

DHS .. Helloo?

[Spiff]

A tiny suggestion to maybe publisize your efforts would be to hook a webcam to the drone and broadcast it over the net. Maybe that would make more ppl aware of how effective the technique would be as every concerned person could see for themselves on their own computers.

That is precisely what American Border Patrol is doing and will be doing on a regular basis. That is one of their primary reasons for existance is to document and broadcast live, over the Internet, the invaders coming across the border. You should see their set up. Their plan is to have something like a border report that you can check every day just like you might check a weather report or stock report.

[SandRat]

These are not necessarily my efforts but those of the ABP. I'm just reporting the news, (no I'm not Bill Hess or associated with the paper other than it sits on my front porch until I get home), to all of FREEPDOM so that they can get ideas for their area. Conversations that I've had with individuals (now banned exFreepers) are that there will be video feeds from a flying bird on Saturday and at the American Border Patrol's web site there are feeds that can be seen along with much, much more.

[norton]

There is a conference center in Sierra Vista?

A Windemere Hotel?

Times certainly do change.

This should make for some good weekend posting; I'd expect a large contingent of irate lefties will show up to protest the brutality of it all.

[SandRat]

we shall see just how many loonie lefties from Tucson and Bisbee show up to "Protest."

[Redbob]

webcamming the drone might make it just a little too easy to figure out how to elude it.

Not everyone on the internet is the sort of fine upright citizen you find here on FR!