anyone else noticed this in Windsor or any other border area?

[VA3QRM]

On my way home from work this evening I noticed coming in the opposite direction a nice new white Ford Explorer with a different looking lightbar than the usual seen here locally; thin and elevated off the roof, and it had US Homeland Security and Border etc.... on the door. Can I assume he was "here on business"? Anyone else in border communities observe these vehicles operating in Canada? Have they appeared; or been patched into, any local radio systems or Bell Fleetnet? I was without scanner; a rare event, so I did not log anything from this vehicle either on local radio systems or the MPSC out of Michigan.

 

[jellotor]

I attended one incident in Niagara Falls that involved a person with a gun crossing the Rainbow Bridge in a vehicle that ended in a fatality. In that incident, while I didn't see any Homeland Security vehicles, there were a few US Border Patrol cruisers and (I believe) a Niagara County sheriff's cruiser or two.

I was told at the time, off the record, that occaisionally in cross-border incidents the jurisdictional issues are sorted out after the fact. This person told me that the NRPS don't have any US equivalent to OPC programmed and they suspected that the US agencies wouldn't have any Ontario common frequencies programmed either.

And this was post-911.

 

[EJB]

I am not sure, perhaps Graeme might remember correctly, when an elderly couple was attacked in Caledonia earlier this year (in the fall?) a U.S. government vehicle (border?, DEA?) was also attacked by the 'protesters.' IIRC whatever agency this was is in Canada every now and then, esp when it comes to native land disputes.

 

[xlq771]

I have seen Wayne County, MI sheriff cars in London the odd time, and also a Ohio Fish & Wildlife truck. On the other side, i have seen an OPP car, and RCMP car in Pt. Huron.

 

[seamusg]

Heard a recent call on on ch 23A about an abandoned truck on the Bluewater bridge. Could only hear one side (Sector Detroit). Also there's TG 2380 on MPSCS for C.B.S.A./U.S.B.P. common.

 

[KE7JFF]

I've USMC HMMV vehicles in Toronto a few times with GSA plates on them. They don't operate with GSA plates in the US on the roads but are required by Transport Canada and CBSA when crossing the border so the LPR system at the checkpoint has something to read.

I've been in line at the Rainbow Bridge a few times and have seen US Customs patrol cars go right by me and right into the NEXUS lane with the CBSA Agent in the lane waiving at him as he goes through.

I have been told by a retired New York State Police officer actually that if there's some transborder inter-agency activity needed, all agencies must cross over at the Whirlpool Bridge.

Almost forgot, I did see something weird once at the Peace Arch crossing in British Columbia...a US Postal Service vehicle waived through the NEXUS lane.

 

[jellotor]

...neither sleet nor rain nor snow nor snarled border traffic...

 

[Jay911]

I am not sure, perhaps Graeme might remember correctly, when an elderly couple was attacked in Caledonia earlier this year (in the fall?) a U.S. government vehicle (border?, DEA?) was also attacked by the 'protesters.' IIRC whatever agency this was is in Canada every now and then, esp when it comes to native land disputes.

IIRC, the reason that vehicle (and its personnel) was there was specifically to observe the way the situation was handled (editorial comment: Or not..) by law enforcement personnel.

 

[jellotor]

Quite right...but it seems that the protocol (if there's one) for a neighboring US agency to cross the border (or the US Border Patrol) during an incident involving both countries is 'sort it all out later.' I'm no expert on this, but I've seen it happen firsthand.