The CHP Border Division

Diversity is the key word in describing the Border Division. It contains many of the most-visited tourist destinations in California, including scenic ocean beaches, Disneyland, San Diego and the desert resorts.

 Many of the enforcement issues faced by the Division stem from this diversity. Officers in Orange County deal with freeway commuter congestion, while their fellow officers in rural Riverside and Imperial counties may face problems with farm machinery on the roads. Illegal immigrants cram themselves into stifling truck trailers to gain entry to the US from Mexico, while the roads in developments of million-dollar beachside homes are often blocked by landslides caused by heavy rains.

 Proximity to Mexico led the Department to open two state-of-the-art commercial inspection facilities in Border Division, one at Otay Mesa and the other at Calexico. Each facility cost $16 million. The facilities handle the increased truck traffic arriving from south of the border generated by the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). These facilities, located in San Diego and Imperial counties, operate jointly with the US Customs Service, inspecting thousands of trucks yearly to assure they are mechanically ready for California's highways.

 The Division also has a satellite office of the CHP's Foreign Export and Recovery (FEAR) team, which intercepts stolen vehicles headed across the border for sale in Mexico and Central and South America. A Mexican Liaison Unit works with Mexican authorities to recover many more stolen vehicles that do make it across the border.

 Gang activity on two fronts is a constant law enforcement problem for the Division. Gangs throughout the Division are involved in vehicle theft, transportation of contraband, illegal immigrants and drugs. The Division also has personnel assigned to drug intervention task forces, including the Imperial County Narcotics Task Force.