Beyond this, the patrol employs what it calls the “wide border concept.” This involves aggressively patrolling transportation transit nodes instead of watching the border on the lake. For example, buses and trains moving through Erie are stopped and checked by the patrol. The station has five sniffer dogs to detect drugs and other contraband. The city is also important for the patrol as it stands at the intersections of interstates 79, 90 and 86.

Even if a suspect isn’t detected by intelligence operations on either side of the border, isn’t spotted crossing the border on the lake, and evades the attention of the public and local law enforcement, they are likely to use one of the transit nodes to move around or away from the area, Price explained.

This tactic is also helpful in picking up suspects who crossed the border elsewhere. “They may not have necessarily crossed here,” said Price, “but they bottleneck to these transit nodes.”

The result is a day-in, day-out application of strategy and intelligence with potentially disastrous results hanging in the balance.

Although he could not share details due to security concerns, “they see us and the Canadians watching,” said Price. “And they scout us,” he stressed. “And we continue our efforts and we continue to encounter persons of interest.”

Pat Bywater can be reached at 724-6370 or by e-mail at pbywater@meadvilletribune.com.

You can help

If you spot suspicious activity or persons on the lake Erie waterfront, contact the U.S. Border Patrol at (800) 331-0353.

Things to watch for include:

- Boats meeting in the middle of the lake

- Activity in a marina at night

- Lots of loading or unloading of boats

- Boats running with lights out