Site Allows Anyone to Watch Texas-Mexico Border

TYLER - People all over the world can now help curb the violence along the U.S.-Mexico border.

All you need is a click of a mouse to stop Mexican drug lords thanks to a new website.

"Border Watch" was launched four months ago in November 2008.

It's a website, found at www.blueservo.net, where people all over the world can patrol the Texas-Mexico border through live streaming video to watch for suspicious activity.

"This is a crime prevention effort. We are not focusing on immigration," Don Reay, the Executive Director of the Texas Border Sheriff's Coalition says.

It was a controversial program that cost two million dollars worth of state money.

Some people thought it was a violation of privacy or taxpayer's money, others, like Russ Goggans, believe, "Maybe that would be a good idea. The more eyes out there the better."

That's what the Texas Border Sheriff's Coalition thought too, and their numbers may be able to back it up.

In the four months since its launch, "virtual deputies" or people watching the site, have helped seize nearly two tons of marijuana and denied people entry into the U.S. thirty-five times.

All these "virtual deputies" actually save the state some money.

"That allows us with fewer officers on the street to respond to what is seen," Reay explains

Mr. Reay says this site doesn't just benefit border towns, "If we are secure and we reduce crime in our area, it's also going to reduce crime in the interior of our state, and the interior of our country."

This site has had twenty-four million hits.

The results have prompted other border states to consider starting a similar site of their own.