Assessment of Border Patrol Stations

November 21, 2024

Assessment of Border Patrol Stations

CBP’s decision “rejecting” the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority (TIBA) property as a viable alternative draws upon two issues:

  1. The site could be surveilled from an elevated position on the Thousand Islands Bridge.
  2. The site creates a “separation” of the waterfront operation (docks, boat launch, etc.,) from the main facility.

 

The following are firsthand observations and information taken from Google Maps.

In the city of Ogdensburg, it is clear that the Border Patrol station can easily be surveilled from the Route 64 bridge that crosses the Oswegatchie River (click here to view on Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/pdsYrbs83fHu68XY7).  Traveling downriver, the Massena Border Patrol station is approximately three-tenths of a mile from water access along the Grass River. Dockage, boat ramps, etc., are separate from the main facility (click here to view on Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/rBRiGbEDHQxyYzpY6). It should be noted that the general public is able to easily walk up to and around these two Border Patrol stations. Photographic documentation is unobstructed. Both of these stations are located within the Swanton Sector, the sector north of the Buffalo Sector. The Buffalo Sector encompasses the Thousand Islands.

It appears that none of the Border Patrol sites along the Buffalo Sector were chosen or designed with surveillance by the public being a concern. Border Patrol stations/facilities are low-security, with several even having what look to be public sidewalks around parts of their parameters. Typical features include:

  • A wide-open public entrance with parking.
  • Enclosed sides and backs with see-through chain-link fencing, which seems to prevent equipment theft and/or vandalism, but nothing more.

None of these facilities seem to be designed in a way that indicates the need to be a defensive position or provide counter-surveillance. The design is more like a city police station—public-facing with secured equipment areas.

Of the nine Border Patrol stations assessed, only the station in Ogdensburg is directly on the water. However, as stated above, water access appears to be nearby in Massena along the Grass River. Water access is not immediate.

  • Detroit Border Patrol Station: Located in an industrial park (click here to view on Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/QtT9KGM33eBeNrEdA ). This station seems fairly new and is adjacent to an eight-story building that affords easy overhead surveillance of the entire facility. The perimeter is easily surveil-able.
  • Oswego Border Patrol Station: Located on a street corner (view on Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/oxv2CoKrrqtZaXX96). A public sidewalk parallels the station’s perimeter fence.
  • Rochester Border Patrol Station: A smaller footprint compared to other stations and appears to have no fencing at all (click here to view on Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/bimp5NBqKNLkqZ8j6) .  It is located on a main road, adjacent to a shopping plaza.
  • Buffalo Area Stations:

In sum, based on the design of the nine Border Patrol Stations assessed:

  • There is no need for potential bad actors to surveil from an elevated vantage point when surveillance can be conducted from five feet away.
  • Recreational drone usage in the Thousand Islands makes concerns about overhead surveillance moot.

Additional Observations:

  1. If surveillance from above is a real concern, then Blind Bay has the same issue since it is viewable from the elevated ridge on Robinson Road, located just south of Blind Bay. Additionally, any second-floor bedroom at Riverwood's Building 3 could easily surveil the Dockside Cottages site.
  2. To conduct surveillance of the proposed TIBA site from the Thousand Islands Bridge, a pedestrian would have to stand on the sidewalk side in plain sight. From this vantage point, only the docks along the waterfront would be visible. The main facility, located between Collins Landing Road and NYS Route 12, would not be observable.

The Thousand Islands Bridge Authority already has state-of-the-art electronic surveillance. The Thousand Islands Bridge and surrounding areas are carefully monitored for security purposes. Arguably, the TIBA property is the most secure site identified by Customs & Border Protection.

Questions to Consider:

This research also concludes that marine operations and immediate waterfront access are not integral to the overall function of a Border Patrol facility.

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