The government says U.S. Border Patrol agents and border inspectors used physical force far less frequently in the last year compared with previous years, even as the number of assaults on authorities rose.
Customs and Border Protection on Tuesday reported 768 incidents in which authorities used force during the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, down 26 percent from the previous year and 37 percent from 2013.
Authorities were assaulted 390 times during the last fiscal year, up 5 percent from the previous year but down 17 percent from 2013.
The numbers come amid intense scrutiny from critics who said authorities have been too quick to draw guns and other weapons. The agency says it's revamped training, launched new protocols to review cases and focused on being more transparent.
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