Maine Residents Complete Citizens Academy

3rd Class to Receive Certificates from Van Buren Station

Van Buren, Maine – Eighteen local citizens from the Fort Kent and Van Buren, Maine areas successfully completed the third Citizens Academy held by the CBP U.S. Border Patrol Van Buren Station on Thursday, May 10. Participants received classroom and hands-on instruction on the training and programs implemented by Border Patrol agents for successfully completing their mission.

The Citizens Academy consisted of local citizens and met every Thursday night from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. for a five-week period. The Academy informed the participants on the overall mission and function of the CBP U.S. Border Patrol and the Houlton Sector.

The Houlton Sector Citizens Academies are open to all 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 received approximately 15 hours of instruction within a period of five weeks from Border Patrol agents and various guest speakers, including other federal and local law enforcement agencies. The hands-on instruction the participants received consisted of demonstrations and scenarios relating to policy and procedure, as well as utilizing some of the tools of the trade.

The Van Buren Station would like to thank all of the participants and guest speakers for making this academy another great success. Houlton Sector would also like to thank the Fort Kent town officials for allowing the Academy to be held at their facility. Thank you everyone and we look forward to hosting another Academy next year.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.