El Paso Intelligence Center
Encyclopedia
The El Paso Intelligence Center (EPIC) was established in 1974 in response to a study by the Justice Management Division of the U.S. Department of Justice entitled, "A Secure Border." Recommendation number 7 of this study suggested the establishment of a southwest border intelligence center to be led by the Drug Enforcement Administration
(DEA) and staffed by representatives of that agency, as well as the U.S. Customs Service
. The initial focus of the Center was to assist in the identification of drug traffickers and alien traffickers along the U.S. - Mexico
border. EPIC is now staffed with over 300 personnel and liaison officers from 15 agencies.
The current EPIC facility was dedicated on 22 February 1989 in memory of DEA Special Agent
Enrique Camarena-Salazar who was slain in the line of duty while conducting an undercover operation in Mexico. Expanded in 1998-1999, EPIC headquarters is located at 11339 SSG
Sims St., Biggs Army Airfield, TX 79908 31.8302°N 106.3743°W, which lies within the Fort Bliss
military reservation in El Paso, Texas
and is run jointly by the DEA and U.S. Customs and Border Protection
(CBP), part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). In the pre-DHS era, the three main federal agencies at EPIC were DEA, the Immigration and Naturalization Service
(INS) and the U.S. Customs Service.
Drug Enforcement Administration
The Drug Enforcement Administration is a federal law enforcement agency under the United States Department of Justice, tasked with combating drug smuggling and use within the United States...
(DEA) and staffed by representatives of that agency, as well as the U.S. Customs Service
United States Customs Service
Until March 2003, the United States Customs Service was an agency of the U.S. federal government that collected import tariffs and performed other selected border security duties.Before it was rolled into form part of the U.S...
. The initial focus of the Center was to assist in the identification of drug traffickers and alien traffickers along the U.S. - Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
border. EPIC is now staffed with over 300 personnel and liaison officers from 15 agencies.
The current EPIC facility was dedicated on 22 February 1989 in memory of DEA Special Agent
Special agent
Special agent is usually the title for a detective or investigator for a state, county, municipal, federal or tribal government. An agent is a worker for any federal agency, and a secret agent is one who works for an intelligence agency....
Enrique Camarena-Salazar who was slain in the line of duty while conducting an undercover operation in Mexico. Expanded in 1998-1999, EPIC headquarters is located at 11339 SSG
Staff Sergeant
Staff sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in several countries.The origin of the name is that they were part of the staff of a British army regiment and paid at that level rather than as a member of a battalion or company.-Australia:...
Sims St., Biggs Army Airfield, TX 79908 31.8302°N 106.3743°W, which lies within the Fort Bliss
Fort Bliss
Fort Bliss is a United States Army post in the U.S. states of New Mexico and Texas. With an area of about , it is the Army's second-largest installation behind the adjacent White Sands Missile Range. It is FORSCOM's largest installation, and has the Army's largest Maneuver Area behind the...
military reservation in El Paso, Texas
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
and is run jointly by the DEA and U.S. Customs and Border Protection
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is a federal law enforcement agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security charged with regulating and facilitating international trade, collecting import duties, and enforcing U.S. regulations, including trade, customs and immigration. CBP is the...
(CBP), part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). In the pre-DHS era, the three main federal agencies at EPIC were DEA, the Immigration and Naturalization Service
Immigration and Naturalization Service
The United States Immigration and Naturalization Service , now referred to as Legacy INS, ceased to exist under that name on March 1, 2003, when most of its functions were transferred from the Department of Justice to three new components within the newly created Department of Homeland Security, as...
(INS) and the U.S. Customs Service.