Okay, no doubt. I should qualify my previous post a bit more- in that there are exceptions to most rules. Such is the case here.
When you say you see 'CBP' vehciles I am will take it that you mean Border Patrol or 'OBP' and not CBPO's: Border Patrol Vehicles are distinctive in that they are white with green stripes and have the DHS seal on the door. They do say Customs and Border Protection on them. The old round USBP door seal has been replaced with the CBP door seal but the green stripe remains- although now more vertical than the old horizontal green stripe- other CBP vehicles have blue stripes in the same orientation. Below appear several photos that should be illustrative of the differences of which I comment. While the Crown Vic is in fact the Federal Protective Service- just supplant the DHS wording with CBP lineage. The smaller tahoe on the right is the old USBP markings.
If you are in Maine you are in Houlton Sector of the OBP. The USA is divided up into areas of command known as sectors and then further into areas of responsibility which are generally individual stations. like this:
Service Area: The Houlton Sector covers the entire state of Maine.
Stations: Stations of the Houlton Sector are located in Calais, Fort Fairfield, Van Buren, Jackman and Rangeley, Maine.
On the nothern border, the sector stations are often outside the 35mi radius- as Houlton is to Van Buren- what is that like 75+ miles? There are many examples of this on the northern border. Most are largely administrative in nature and little actual patrol work is based at these sector offices so far from the border. Usually where radio, command staff, support staff, and logistics for the sector is based.
One of the prime differences between the northern and southern borders is that on the southern border once one is across you can prety much go in any direction and there are lots of roads an highways to leave the area on. On the northern border the terrain dictates where one goes, there are fewer road and fewer ways to leave the area once across. I am sure you can attest to this living in Maine. Agents must travel from place to place and naturally come in contact with local law enforcement problems and do assist local LE close to the border. But Generally, the Border Patrol has little interest in you if you are a United States Citizen and are not smuggling across the border.
Also are images of Border Patrol Agents and Customs and Border Protection Officer together. The BP is in green, the CBPOs in blue. Notice the right sleeve patches. BP still wears the round USBP patch on the left sleeve, the CBPO's wear the same patch on both sleeves. Based on oak leaf on her collar she is either a Assistant Patrol Agent in Charge or Field Operations Supervisor.
