CORPUS CHRISTI, Tx — The investigation into a video showing a Border Patrol agent allegedly kneeing her K-9 partner at the Falfurrias checkpoint has prompted new statements from the Border Patrol Union of the Rio Grande Valley.
The union says the footage, recorded by Jessica Pena, depicts the agent using "corrective action," not abuse. The video appears to show the agent kneeing the dog several times.
In response to the airing of the video, the Border Patrol Union issued a statement clarifying the situation. The statement reads, in part:
"The video shows the agent utilizing proper corrective techniques as she was trained to do by the Border Patrol’s own canine handler instructors. The agent is a graduate of the USBP canine academy, a rigorous course in which prospective handlers are trained on how to ensure that they are the ‘alpha’ over the canine, which includes immediate corrections for a myriad of issues. Canine handlers are also taught to make an attempt at employing corrective actions outside of the view of the public, because most members of the public view canines not as working dogs, but as pets."
However, not all experts agree with the union's defense. Chris Garlinghouse, who spent 20 years working with K-9s in law enforcement and the private sector, expressed concern. He said that inducing compliance through fear is problematic and that such training techniques are outdated.
"Fear should never be used as a way to induce compliance," Garlinghouse said. "There are better, more humane ways to train working dogs."
A Border Patrol spokesperson confirmed that the agency is still investigating the incident. The union remains confident that the investigation will show no wrongdoing on the agent’s part.
The case has drawn public attention, sparking a wider conversation about the treatment of working dogs in law enforcement.
