StatesmanJournal ae eens Q&A: New border chief says technology will boost security By ME WADDEN Ganneet Nawe Senice ouster 3, 2008 WASHINGTON The federal goemment is spending tillons an new Ba der Patol agents ard on igh-tech sensor and radar networks In temote teas af the U.S.-Menio border Rah Eosham, who worked for early 95 Yeats re Secrel Survive, diacls thoce efforts a5 he ney commbsioner of Cucina and Border Proton Bosham dacussee borser securty wih Gannett News Sevice and the Aosocated Prece h an ieriew taged for C-SPAN on Ge, 27. he come say Preadent Bush cine a ail futhorinng ean stucton of 700 ies of feseng along the US-Mexieo bader Question: What wil encng an the borer tok ke and ho much wil be bul? “Answer H depends onthe area that he fence is gong fo be placed W's an uiban aren, Could be a diferent ype cf face than pethape a fual ota terete avez, You cant jst buld 2 fence, mean, if you Guls aTO-foot fence, you go Euy an 1 |-foot ede. {Tho fence Wil Bo pat cfa govemment carat wth Gocing "0 fetal Figh-tach eacuty eystors onthe boxcar Vil his bo eiferant ftom prev cus teennalngy metaltions that ‘wastes rilone of dalare? {A The approach heres about Inking ai what types ofechnology we can use down there fo hild a smart border Icant sthete and guaraniee you thal every senso, every carta, every igh, every fence i, infact, ging ia be the appropiate Hem. The 28 res that we ae clei going be working on (mn izora) isan opportuni fr ust see ‘what the best kind af totaly that wo can depens upen, not ust or tha nxt year, but fer the out yours G: Do Border Patol cicors reve encugh access to Department of Homeland Securty Aatab aces nthe field fo hel them agure cut which peooke are thesis? ‘A Past of ths technology that ware hying to devel 1s going to rmske that Border Pato gent sate. You dort now when a petson, vehicle ar an ara s approaching the order what hat may presen o ye. kcould be a terrorist I coul be someune ‘eanscoring a weapon... could be a legtate poteon coming to cose the border GG What azaut new requires that US clzns chow pasepors to ener the county from Wexea ct Canada aattng in June 22097 Vi fe technclagy and cteffng be ready to vroat that deadline wihaut rtorfenng wth rade and wavol? Aves Wie wil be easy. Right now there's \BU0 diferent types of ientifcation that people con use fo tnes our bordets If Thad 1300 pieces of Wenticatin that weve efile {agent the White House, |wauld not have slept wel at right asthe diecior [al he Secret Senco), So, ete needs wo bo an ianifeaton thal has bloat, thas art, that ean, athe same me that you provide seoutky, provide citation Gr What le your agency coing ta prem earuption arnang kordor agcnts? Should agents to paid more to help thew rest bribes? A These agents ans oficre work probably the highest theat enitonmentm he vert fer crnption.. im nat sure us hew much you could pay employees thet would nct have them tn their head an a hage bbe: Wha nk we eon ave fo oi remind themthey ve made an oath, Theyve taken an oath to protect the American people, Where do you see the biggest terorism-related threat? A | don't know that | can say specifically where the greatest threat is, | think that we have to interdict every piece of contraband, every ilegal allen that tes to get in here, whether ‘they come ty air, by land or by sea, The terronsis come back. They look for the ‘weaknesses. They look for the wunerablies, You cannot predict where the attack is going to.come from, so you have to be prepared for it to come from anywhere. ‘Mike Madden writes for Gannett News Service, Contact him at mmacden@ons.gannet com,