Border Patrol and Los Indios community leaders open house

LOS INDIOS — U.S. Border Patrol agents and Los Indios community leaders will hold an open house at 9 a.m. today to start a community partnership program, Border Patrol officials said in a statement.

They will gather at the Los Indios Community Partnership, 109 E. Sixth St.

“By working closely with the resident and the business community, together we can identify and work to prevent and deter criminal activity from exploiting our neighborhoods and also promote a safe and secure environment to preserve the quality of life for all,” said Rio Grande Valley Border Patrol Sector Acting Chief Patrol Agent Woody A. Lee.

The program’s goal is to provide community members access to law enforcement personnel and improve security along the border and within the community, Lee said.

“Consistent law enforcement presence within these communities provides a deterrent factor for smuggling organizations who contemplate traversing these areas while smuggling their commodities,” he said.

“The partnership aims to bring greater security to residents through a more proactive approach involving the public and law enforcement agencies.”

Similar partnerships between the Border Patrol and the cities of La Joya and Madero, Texas, were previously developed, he said.