Sheriff Dupnik criticizes how 'homeland security' funds are used ...

The Pima County Sheriff isn't too happy with how the feds help (or don't) with the mess expanding out from the border (due to the totally insane US border policies and enforcement).

Dupnik spoke at a news conference about a fatal ambush Friday west of Green Valley of a pickup truck packed with at least 23 illegal immigrants, including three small children. Two people were killed by gunfire, and at least one was injured. It was the second such incident in the past two months.

"The violence associated with the problem of migration and narcotics and other contraband going both north and south has reached epidemic proportions," Dupnik said, "and the safety of everyone in this state, if not in this country, is in some way affected by what's occurring."

The resources of the U.S. Border Patrol, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the U.S. Attorney's Office and state and local law enforcement have been "taxed to their maximum," Dupnik said. "We are literally overwhelmed by the problem."

Local law agencies don't have enough people to cover nonborder crimes, let alone divert resources to cover border issues, he said.

He criticized the distribution of Homeland Security funds, which he said were largely going for "reactionary" purposes, such as costly training exercises during mock disasters.

"If we had the money for the kinds of resources we need, we could make a huge impact on the border violence and crime," he said.

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Tucson Citizen: Sheriff: Feds fail to address 'epidemic' of border violence by Claudine LoMonaco