AUSTIN, TEXAS (AP) -- A civil rights group says money intended to help law enforcement officials crack down on drug cartels might instead be helping them target Texas drivers.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas released a report Wednesday detailing the use of funding for Operation Border Star. The Texas Homeland Security program is aimed at organized crime and drug-related activity.
The report says the 11 law enforcement agencies in the program were given a combined $5 million by the state in late 2007 and early 2008. In that time, there were 45,176 traffic stops and 1,110 drug arrests. Just 64 of the drug arrests came from the 10 agencies besides the El Paso Police Department.
The ACLU wants more oversight of such funding.
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