DERBY LINE — On Monday, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency announced that they will be bringing in 2,000 additional border protection officers to further enhance security and improve service at ports of entry across the country.
In a letter the agency sent to congressional lawmakers, Derby Line is among the ports of entry that should see additional protection officers by 2015. The details as to how many officers that Derby Line would receive has not yet been announced.
The need for additional staff at the port has been an issue since 2009. Vermont’s congressional delegation has tried to get more officers along Vermont’s borders to address the issue of long delays into the country, which they say hurts Vermont businesses.
From January 2009 to July 2013, Derby Line saw a 21 percent decrease in its staff, according to research done by Senator Bernie Sanders’ office.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection plans to hire and train the new officers by the end of September next year. The additional officers will be placed at ports of entry with the greatest demonstrated need.
The Department of Commerce estimates the rate of travel into the United States will increase by 3.4 to 4.3 percent annually in the coming years. That growth will represent an additional 17 million visitors when compared to 2012 numbers.
