In an unauthorized interview, former CBP internal affairs chief James F. Tomsheck gave what could be the most scathing public criticism of the nation’s largest law enforcement agency by a high ranking official.
James F. Tomsheck
AP Photo/Alex Brandon
The Center for Investigative Reporting Thursday published excerpts from an interview with James F. Tomsheck, the recently ousted head of internal affairs at U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). In the unauthorized interview, Tomsheck spoke candidly about the management and culture of Border Patrol and its parent agency, CBP, accusing leadership at the agencies of covering up misconduct and corruption.
Tomsheck was removed from his post in June amid concerns that he did not direct CBP to investigate allegations of abuse and excessive use of force by border agents. He currently holds a different position within Border Patrol.
Here are the five most important things he revealed in the interview.
Border Patrol officials have actively and consistently tried to distort the narratives around fatal shootings to cover up wrongdoing by border agents.
Tomsheck said at least a quarter of 28 deaths since 2012 involving border agents were “highly suspect” regarding the use of lethal force and that reviews of the shootings by the internal affairs office were often thwarted by Border Patrol management. In at least one case, Border Patrol leadership falsely reported a person had been on U.S. soil when he was shot even though “that was clearly not the case,” Tomsheck said. “In nearly every instance, there was an effort by Border Patrol leadership to make a case to justify the shooting versus doing a genuine, appropriate review of the information and the facts at hand,” he said.
Mexico / Reuters
A culture of “institutional narcissism” may have contributed to CBP’s failure to investigate shootings.
Tomsheck said Border Patrol's warped view of itself as a premier law enforcement agency is part of a broader culture of impunity at CBP. “It has been suggested by Border Patrol leadership that they are the Marine Corps of the U.S. law enforcement community,” Tomsheck said. “The Border Patrol has a self-identity of a paramilitary border security force and not that of a law enforcement agency.”
John Moore / Getty Images
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