Governor Brad Little deployed Idaho State Police to help Texas secure the southern border and receive hands-on training. He also announced a trip to Weslaco, Texas to fly over the border and receive briefings from the Texas Department of Public Safety.
“As we’ve done before, Idaho is responding to the call for help from our neighbors along the border,” Little said. “We used a targeted approach to understand Texas’ needs and wanted to make sure our troopers will bring back what they learn to better protect Idahoans.”
The dozen police on deployment will split into two groups. The first group will focus on preventing drug trafficking. The second will train in human tracking and searching skills.
Little said the trip serves two main purposes. First, the ISP will serve as a force multiplier for the State of Texas when there’s an increased need for law enforcement along the Mexico-U.S. border. Second, the troopers will receive on-the-job training and will experience up-to-the-minute enforcement techniques that can be brought back and immediately applied in Idaho.
Over the last few years, Little has advocated for increased border security in a variety of ways, including:
— Partnering with 23 governors to release 10 policy solutions the Biden administration could enact to end the crisis at the southern border.
— Sending a team of specialized state troopers to Arizona in 2021 to assist with drug interdiction.
— Joining a lawsuit challenging Biden’s Title 42 border decision.
— Hosting a roundtable with Idaho law enforcement in 2021 to discuss Idaho’s growing drug threat and the connection to the Mexico-U.S. border.
— Directing $1.25 million in the summer of 2021 to fight the deadly impacts of fentanyl and other drugs.
— Acquiring more roadside testing equipment to help Idaho State Police.
— Increasing resources for mental health and behavioral health to help prevent tragedies.
— Launching the Fentanyl Takes All program to educate youth about the effects of the drug.
For more details, see Little’s press release.