Preparing for Border War
Border Patrol Takes Lead in U.S. Defense

Associated Press -- October 29   Tucson Sector Border Patrol Chief Robert Gilbert Border Patrol ready if Mexican drug violence enters U.S.     Tucson -- Law enforcement officials are monitoring the organized crime violence wracking northern Mexico and have a response plan ready should it spill over the border, the U.S. Border Patrol's Tucson Sector chief said Tuesday.     Chief Robert Gilbert said the patrol and other local, state and federal law enforcement agents started planning about 1 1/2 years ago, "and it's something that we continue to work with everybody's involvement pretty much."     Other agencies include the Arizona Department of Public Safety, the federal Drug Enforcement Administration and the sheriffs' departments in Pima, Cochise and Santa Cruz counties.     "There's violence, it's occurring," Gilbert said at a media briefing on Tuesday. "To date it has not spilled across the border. Will it? We don't know. We're not going to take the chance of not being prepared if it does." Border Hawk M On Alert