At a time when the United States is struggling to pay its debts, and budget shortfalls are affecting the operations of the U.S. Border Patrol, one might think that all government employees, regardless of position, would be going out of their way to cut costs where possible.
The following is a list of some examples of cost-saving measures implemented in one or more Border Patrol sectors: supervisors scold agents for using a pressure washer for too long when washing government vehicles as it costs money to run it; Agents are directed to turn off vehicles in the field as often as possible to save fuel; agents are prohibited from patrolling toll roads even though smugglers use those roads; agents are doubled-up in vehicles to cut the number of vehicles in the field in half to save fuel; home to work vehicles are severely curtailed; and agents are shuttled to the field to swap rides in order to save on fuel costs related to driving vehicles back and forth to the stations. (Note - multiple Border Patrol vehicles traveling the roads increase the probability of one or more agents observing smuggling activities or illegal aliens, which is why past Chiefs understood it was an essential part of law enforcement.)
The Union discovered how some of these measures were implemented in the Yuma Sector; though other luxuries for the chain of command continue. For example, while his subordinates are scorned for using a pressure washer for too long when washing government vehicles and shuttled to vehicles that rarely see water or cleaning products, Stephen Martin, Chief Patrol Agent of the Yuma Sector, and his many managers continue to have their vehicles privately detailed on a weekly basis. Obviously saving taxpayer money or taking their vehicle for a wash and detail is far beneath what is expected of someone of their importance, which is why they order subordinates to do these money-wasting tasks. Mechanics are directed to stop servicing government vehicles and drive managers' vehicles to a local car wash, where a detail service is performed at a minimum cost of $28.00. On one occasion, the Chief's handlers were unaware which vehicle he would be riding in (note - driving a vehicle is also beneath this new era of Chief Patrol Agents. For this reason, they use a GS-12 Supervisory Border Patrol Agent or higher to serve as their chauffeur instead of utilizing them for actual operations). As a result, they had three vehicles washed and detailed just so the Chief would not have to ride in an unwashed and possibly dusty vehicle.
All Border Patrol Agents have a fiduciary responsibility to ensure that taxpayers' monies are not being misspent, at least that is what the chain of command has been writing in discipline proposals for agents and preaching with their cost-saving measures. It is obvious by these actions that the chain of command in the Yuma Sector does not believe this responsibility applies to them.
"Honor First?"
