A New Era in US Coast Guard-RCMP Integration

From September 4-6,the Royal Canadian Mounted Police unit in Sault Ste Marie,Ontario and the US Coast Guard station Sault Ste Marie,Michigan conducted joint law enforcement patrols along the St.Marys River,the RCMP said.Several vessels were stopped and boarded by specially trained and designated members of the USCG and RCMP.Shiprider removes the jurisdictional roadblocks that characterise international borders.*
Criminals can no longer exploit jurisdictional weakness at the border,said Commander Ryan Griffen,US Coast Guard.The Shiprider program is another innovative partnership that contributes to enhance our efficiency and provides a better use of our mutual resources.*
Exercises such as the one performed in the past few days demonstrate that removing the maritime barrier leads to successful law enforcement and increased security for all of us,added RCMP Assistant Commissioner Todd Shean.*
The Shiprider program,officially known as the Integrated Cross-Border Maritime Law Enforcement Operations,ICMLEO,was finalised in June after a pilot period from 2005-10.It involves RCMP and USCG members riding on each other's patrol boats and having arrest powers in both countries,principally to seamlessly respond to elusive smugglers of drugs,weapons and humans.It is in effect in the Great Lakes and Vancouver,British Columbia areas.
See also the companion post in my blog Extra Content.