CALEXICO-In a move to bolster public safety and address the unique criminal challenges facing the Calexico community, the Calexico City Council unanimously approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) on November 6.
This MOU officially reestablishes the Calexico Investigations Team (CIT), a specialized task force aimed at pooling resources, intelligence, and expertise from both agencies to combat organized crime and violent activities impacting Calexico and Imperial County.
The item was brought forward by Calexico Police Chief Armando Orozco and was approved unanimously by the Calexico City Council by a vote of 3-0 with council members Lisa Tylenda and Gloria Romo absent.
Given Calexico’s proximity to the U.S.-Mexico border, CPD and USBP have a history of collaboration to address issues like drug trafficking and human smuggling. With rising cross-border criminal activity, city officials and community leaders alike see this partnership as a necessary step in strengthening local law enforcement. The CIT’s mission is to enhance criminal investigations and disrupt complex criminal networks that exploit the region’s border dynamics. This collaborative effort will focus on high-priority crimes, including homicide, human trafficking, gang activity, and drug-related offenses, with the ultimate goal of reducing crime and improving the quality of life for Calexico residents.
Under the agreement, CPD has committed to funding the California Penal Code Section 832 Law of Arrest Course for USBP agents joining the CIT, ensuring these agents meet state peace officer training standards. Additionally, CPD will provide office space, communications equipment, and other essential resources. CPD will also grant qualified USBP agents peace officer powers within the task force and supervise their activities to ensure alignment with CPD protocols and community priorities.
USBP, in turn, will equip task force agents with vehicles, fuel, weapons, and safety gear. The agency has also agreed to assign at least two full-time agents to the CIT for a minimum of two years, with the possibility of extending this commitment based on operational needs. Both agencies will coordinate regular strategic planning sessions and review the CIT’s performance, with ongoing updates provided to the city council.
The CIT’s approach emphasizes collaborative and strategic enforcement efforts. Aligning with California’s “Sanctuary State” law (SB 54), the task force’s focus will be on criminal activity, not immigration enforcement. CPD resources will be dedicated exclusively to targeting serious offenses that affect public safety, providing reassurance to the community that the CIT’s mission is crime prevention, not immigration control.
To tackle complex cross-border crime effectively, CIT will leverage state, federal, and local law enforcement capabilities and collaborate closely with Mexican authorities. With an all-encompassing approach, the CIT’s strategy will include intelligence integration, targeted enforcement, and partnerships across jurisdictions. Operational efforts will focus on high-impact crimes like homicide, human trafficking, drug trafficking, and gang-related offenses.
