Anthony J. Porvaznik

When Anthony J. Porvaznik was deployed to Bolivia in 1992 to crack down on raw materials being sold for drugs, he said he learned an important less of being a part of Border Patrol.

“That experience taught me to emphasize the safety and value of the officers serving,” Porvaznik told the Yuma Sun. 

Porvaznik plans to use that experience as the new chief patrol agent for the Yuma Sector.

“It’s great the level of experience and dedication that the agents have to the mission,” he said. “Yuma and its communities are very supportive of the work that Border Patrol does.”

Porvaznik said he’s excited and grateful about the new job.

“I am very humbled and honored to have been offered this job,” he said. “Yuma Sector is a great place to start off as a chief.”

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By Steve Neavling

The number of law enforcement officers “feloniously” killed in 2014 jumped 89% over the past year, according to new FBI statistics that come just a week after the fatal shootings of an officer in New York City and two officers in Hattiesburg, Miss., the FBI reported.

The FBI recorded 51 felonious killings, compared to 27 in 2013. The average number of annual felonious killings between  between 1980 and 2014 was 64.

Of the 51 killings, 46 involved firearms.

Police departments lost another 44 officers in the line of duty to accidental causes, such as car accidents and smoke inhalation. In 2o13, 49 officers were killed.

By Steve Neavling

One of the biggest criticisms of federal law enforcement in the aftermath of Sept. 11, 2001, was the lack of communication that could have helped authorities foil the attack.

But the communication lapses continue, most recently when police in Garland, Texas, never received an FBI bulletin that specifically warned of one of two men who would open fire at a contest to draw Prophet Muhammad, which is offensive to many Muslims.

According to Garland Police Chief Mitch Gates, local authorities had no idea the FBI warned of the two men and even posted a photo of one of the shooters and the license plate number, Fort Worth Business Press reports. 

Bates said that officials not only didn’t receive the bulletin in time, but it wasn’t specific enough to call attention to it.

The bulletin warned that one of the attackers, Elton Simpson, “might be interested in going to Garland,” “We had no information from the FBI or anyone else that Simpson posed a threat to our event,” Garland Police Chief Mitch Bates, said.

By Steve Neavling

A federal judge has postponed a civil case involving the Oklahoma City bombing following claims that the FBI had threatened a witness in an attempt to keep him from testifying, Fox 13 Salt Lake City reports.

U.S. District Judge Clark Waddoups appointed a “special master” to monitor the investigation, which is looking into allegations that agents instructed a witness not to show up in court in a lawsuit over documents from the 1999 bombing.

The judge also wants to see an unredacted copy of a report about potential witness tampering.