by Laura Conaway

A plan by security contractor Blackwater U.S.A. to build a law enforcement training camp in Potrero, Calif., has split the small border town.

In Iraq, Blackwater has provided extensive services to the U.S. military. Its guards opened fire in September at a Baghdad traffic circle while escorting a diplomatic convoy. Seventeen Iraqis died in the incident. Blackwater says its guards shot in self-defense, but an FBI probe declared the shootings unprovoked.

Opponents of the training facility in Potrero cited practical concerns about noise and traffic, while proponents talked about jobs and a greater police presence. This week, five members of the planning board who backed the proposal were voted off; they were replaced by five new members who are against it. As the San Diego Union-Tribune reports, the local balloting was colored by national concerns:

"It should send a loud and clear message that Potrero does not want Blackwater in the community," said Carl Meyer, a leader in the recall campaign and an anti-Blackwater candidate.