U.S. Customs and Border Protection is charged with enforcing the nation’s laws while protecting the civil rights and civil liberties of every individual with whom we interact. CBP’s authority to enforce the law, even to the point of lethal force, appropriately bears the burden of accountability, which includes integrity and transparency.

These data reflect singular uses of force by and assaults on CBP personnel, as well as the incidents which the actions comprise. The inclusion of incidents provides additional context to the uses of force and assaults, as there may be multiple actions—assaults and/or uses of force--during a single incident. Presenting these actions within the framework of incidents depicts the circumstances more clearly.

For example, consider a hypothetical CBP utilization of a less-lethal device such as a PepperBall® Launching System (PLS) for area saturation against 15 subjects. This is counted as 15 singular uses of force but one incident. Likewise, five subjects throwing rocks at three CBP agents or officers is counted as 15 singular assaults but one incident.

Singular uses of force by CBP law enforcement personnel in FY18 were 8 percent lower than FY17; however, incidents involving use of force were up 16 percent. Incidents involving assaults on CBP agents and officers increased 22 percent from FY17 to FY18, but singular assaults decreased 6 percent.

Use of force involving firearms has dropped over the years from a high of 55 in FY12 to a low of 15 in FY18, a 73 percent decrease.

In FY18, CBP personnel have been involved in 534 incidents that include at least one use of force, and 450 incidents that include at least one assault. There have been 913 singular uses of force and 794 singular assaults.

Fiscal year tables were prepared on October 9, 2018; any uses of force or assaults entered after this date for the time period are not reflected in these tables. These statistics represent assaults and uses of force involving Authorized Officers/Agents during CBP operations only; off-duty incidents are not included. Occasionally, more than one component will be involved in the same incident. Therefore, the sum of the component totals may be greater than the CBP incident total. Previously published statistics are occasionally revised based on internal review, investigative findings, and National Use of Force Review Board (NUFRB) decisions; therefore, these tables may not match previously published statistics.

For reporting purposes, CBP categorizes uses of force into the following: “firearm,” “less-lethal device,” “other less-lethal force,” or “force used against vehicles/vessels.” A CBP law enforcement officer’s use of a baton, electronic control weapon, PepperBall® Launching System, or other less-lethal device is reflected under “Less-Lethal Device.” The “Other” column includes less-lethal uses of force, such as physical strikes without a weapon, use of a patrol K9, or applications of force other than a firearm or less-lethal device. “Force used against vehicles/vessels” includes uses of air disabling fire and small boat interdiction, and uses of vehicle immobilization devices or offensive driving techniques.

Footnote: Acronyms used in the tables below:

•AMO: Air and Marine Operations

•OFO: Office of Field Operations

•USBP: U.S. Border Patrol

•FY: Fiscal Year

•FYTD: Fiscal Year to Date

Data sources: Use of Force Reporting System (UFRS) and Enforcement Action Statistical Analysis and Reporting system (E-STAR), formerly (AUFRS)

Prior-Year Use of Force Statistics

CBP USE OF FORCE BY FISCAL YEAR (FY 2012 - 2018) FY 2012 FY 2013 FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 Firearm 55 45 23 28 25 17 15 Less-Lethal Device and Other Less-Lethal Force 873 1168 996 721 945 979 898 Total 928 1213 1019 749 970 996 913

CBP USE OF FORCE FISCAL YEAR 2018 Incidents Firearm Less-Lethal Device Other Force Used Against Vehicles/Vessels Total AMO 11 0 5 0 12 17 OFO 62 0 44 25 9 78 USBP 462 15 503 181 119 818 Total 534 15 552 206 140 913

Fiscal Year Use of Force Statistics

CBP USE OF FORCE BY TYPE AND FISCAL YEAR

FY2017 and FY2018 Total Use of Force Incidents Singular Uses of Force Force Used Against Vehicles/Vessels Firearm Less-Lethal Device Other FY17 FY18 FY17 FY18 FY17 FY18 FY17 FY18 FY17 FY18 AMO 11 11 0 0 39 5 0 0 7 12 OFO 50 62 0 0 35 44 14 25 12 9 USBP 398 462 17 15 643 503 157 181 72 119 Total 459 534 17 15 717 552 171 206 91 140

Incidents can involve multiple components, therefore, the sum of the component totals may be greater than the CBP incident total.

AMO USE OF FORCE BY TYPE AND FISCAL YEAR

FY2017 and FY2018 Total Use of Force Incidents Singular Uses of Force Force Used Against Vehicles/Vessels Firearm Less-Lethal Device Other Region FY17 FY18 FY17 FY18 FY17 FY18 FY17 FY18 FY17 FY18 Northern 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Southeast 8 5 0 0 38 0 0 0 5 5 Southwest 3 6 0 0 1 5 0 0 2 7 Total 11 11 0 0 39 5 0 0 7 12

OFO USE OF FORCE BY TYPE AND FISCAL YEAR

FY2017 and FY2018 Total Use of Force Incidents Singular Uses of Force Force Used Against Vehicles/Vessels Firearm Less-Lethal Device Other Field Offices FY17 FY18 FY17 FY18 FY17 FY18 FY17 FY18 FY17 FY18 Atlanta 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Baltimore 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 Boston 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 Buffalo 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Chicago 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Detroit 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 El Paso 8 11 0 0 5 9 2 2 2 1 Houston 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Laredo 8 8 0 0 7 7 0 2 2 0 Los Angeles 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Miami 0 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 New Orleans 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 New York 2 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 Portland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Preclearance Field Operations 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 San Diego 20 29 0 0 14 19 5 17 3 6 San Francisco 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 San Juan 1 1 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 Seattle 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Tampa 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Tucson 10 5 0 0 6 4 4 2 5 0 Total 50 62 0 0 35 44 14 25 12 9

USBP USE OF FORCE BY TYPE AND FISCAL YEAR

FY2017 and FY2018 Total Use of Force Incidents Singular Uses of Force Force Used Against Vehicles/Vessels Firearm Less-Lethal Device Other Sector FY17 FY18 FY17 FY18 FY17 FY18 FY17 FY18 FY17 FY18 Big Bend 7 11 0 0 1 5 6 8 1 2 Blaine 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Buffalo 0 2 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 Del Rio 11 14 0 1 186 13 6 4 2 2 Detroit 4 2 1 0 3 2 0 0 0 0 El Centro 74 102 1 0 211 239 11 21 11 32 El Paso 22 23 4 0 14 14 8 7 9 17 Grand Forks 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 Havre 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 Houlton 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Laredo 36 40 0 2 31 24 14 13 9 9 Miami 2 4 0 0 2 5 0 1 0 0 New Orleans 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 Ramey 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 Rio Grande Valley 101 104 3 0 123 111 46 50 7 18 San Diego 50 66 0 2 35 44 13 18 20 23 Special Operations Group 4 1 0 0 0 3 4 0 0 0 Spokane 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 Swanton 1 2 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 Tucson 73 82 3 2 31 38 45 54 10 13 Yuma 6 5 4 6 3 2 3 3 0 1 Total 398 462 17 15 643 503 157 181 72 119

Assault Statistics

ASSAULTS AGAINST CBP LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL BY FISCAL YEAR

(FY 2012-2018) FY12 FY13 FY14 FY15 FY16 FY17 FY18 Assaults 555 468 373 477 584 844 794

ASSAULTS AGAINST CBP LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL BY FISCAL YEAR

FY2017 and FY2018 Incidents Assaults FY17 FY18 % Change FY17 FY18 % Change AMO 9 17 89% 14 29 107% OFO 37 59 59% 47 82 74% USBP 324 379 17% 783 683 -13% Total 369 450 22% 844 794 -6%

Incidents can involve multiple components, therefore, the sum of the component totals may be greater than the CBP incident total.