CLEVELAND — U.S. Coast Guard and Royal Canadian Mounted Police law enforcement crews conducted smallboat training Dec. 10 and 11 in the vicinity of the shared border near Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, Canada.
This training was conducted in preparation of regularized operations — once administrative protocols and binational agreements are fully authorized.
Detroit/Windsor will be one of two regularized locations for integrated cross-border maritime law enforcement operations — known as the Shiprider program. The other area is Blaine, Washington/Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, as announced at a news briefing in White Rock, British Columbia, in October.
Shiprider entails U.S. and Canadian law enforcement officers embarking together on vessels to achieve integrated operations on and near our shared maritime border. When operating in Canadian waters, the Canadian law enforcement officers will have the lead in conducting operations. Conversely, when operating in U.S. waters, U.S. law enforcement officers will have the lead. It provides the operational flexibility to pursue and interdict vessels across the international border by having law enforcement officers from both countries on the same vessel.
"Canada and the US are both maritime nations that share an enormous interest in the safety, security, and stewardship of the maritime environments in which we live, work, and depend upon for our prosperity," said Rear Adm. Michael Parks, commander of the 9th Coast Guard District. "Nowhere is that reality more clear than in the Great Lakes."
"This important partnership allows us to more effectively leverage our law enforcement resources and prevent criminal activity, regardless of which side of the border it originates."
Regularized Shiprider operations respect the sovereignty of both the US and Canada and are based on the principles of shared border management, effective law enforcement, appropriate and measured information sharing, and robust privacy protection. Shiprider operations enhance both Canadian and US security in shared waterways.
Coast Guard and RCMP crews near Detroit/Windsor conducted similar training earlier this year.
