FBI MUST MAINTAIN VIGILANCE AGAINST DRUG-SMUGGLING

There's no argument that the FBI's reorganization and shift in emphasis
toward preventing terrorism is necessary.

But it raises some concerns, particularly in El Paso and other areas along
the border.

All areas of the United States will notice a difference in one area, a
lowered priority in fighting crimes that have been traditional targets of
the FBI -- white-collar crime and significant violent crime. The FBI's help
and expertise will still be available, but at a lowered level.

That's inevitable and necessary, given shifting FBI priorities. And it
certainly won't leave the country defenseless against crime, though it will
put more of a burden on other law-enforcement agencies.

But along the border there is the additional problem of crimes such as drug
smuggling. The FBI historically has been an important part of the fight
against drug-smuggling and the violence it engenders. However, as El Paso
FBI special agent in charge Hardrick Crawford Jr. said, "When I came here
in July, our top priority was drugs, followed by white-collar crime and
violent crime, and number four was counter- terrorism. Now, number one is
anti-terrorism, two is counter- intelligence, three is cyber-crime and four
is drugs, followed by white-collar crime and violent crime. You can see
what has happened."

And don't doubt that drug gangs and cartels will test this reorganization
of priorities with renewed and reinvigorated efforts to ply their trade.

This puts additional pressure on other agencies, from the federal Drug
Enforcement Administration to the county Sheriff's Department.

More of the pursuit of drug-related crime will fall to them. They must be
given the resources and training necessary to do the job and keep the fight
against drugs at a high level.