Border Patrol to host Citizens Academy April 28
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
The Houlton Sector of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency will conduct a Citizens Academy hosted by the Fort Fairfield station in Ashland, beginning April 28. Sessions will be held at the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife regional headquarters.
“Residents will have an opportunity to get a firsthand look at how the U.S. Border Patrol operates in Maine,” said Jodi Williams, supervisory Border Patrol agent, Houlton Sector headquarters.
According to Williams, the Citizens Academy will consist of 18 to 20 students and will meet for four-hour sessions on consecutive Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., on April 28, May 5 and 12.
“The Academy will inform participants about the overall mission and function of the U.S. Border Patrol and the Houlton Sector. Our goal is to foster understanding and create an open dialogue with the citizens that we serve,” Williams said.
The Houlton Sector Citizens Academy is open to all U.S. citizens, 18 years of age and above, who are interested in learning about the Border Patrol’s history, legal authority, mission, operations and partnerships.
“Attendees receive approximately 12 hours of instruction, tours and hands-on training from Border Patrol agents and various guest speakers, including other federal and local law enforcement agencies,” said Williams.
Individuals interested in participating in the upcoming Citizens Academy are encouraged to contact Houlton Sector Public Affairs Office at 532-6521 or pick up an application at the following Border Patrol locations and return them by April 4: Houlton Sector, 96 Calais Rd., Hodgdon, ME 04730; or Fort Fairfield Station, 200 Limestone Rd., Fort Fairfield, ME 04742.
