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  4. Plattsburgh Air Branch Celebrates Ten Years

Plattsburgh Air Branch Celebrates Ten Years

Release Date
Wed, 10/08/2014

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. - On Oct. 8, 2014, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Air and Marine, Plattsburgh Air Branch celebrated 10 years of service to the Community and the Nation.

“In the last 10 years we’ve accomplished a great deal,” stated Director of Air Operations Richard Bowman. “We started as a small temporary duty air unit and merged with the Border Patrol Air Operations at the then Clinton County Airport. We then relocated to the former Plattsburgh Air Force Base to form the Plattsburgh Air branch.”

Lunar Eclipse over a Cessna 206 in Plattsburgh this morning.

Lunar Eclipse over a Cessna 206 in Plattsburgh this morning.

In the last 10 years, the Plattsburgh Air Branch has provided support to local and Federal Law Enforcement Agencies throughout the states of New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Pennsylvania. During this time the branch provided support for operations such as the South Texas Campaign and the Arizona Border Initiative by sending agents for monthlong deployments. The branch also assisted in numerous National Security Special Events over the years to include this year’s State of the Union address in Washington, D.C., and Super Bowl XLVIII in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Currently the Plattsburgh Air Branch is providing air support and aircrew riflemen to the Canadensis, Pennsylvania, area to assist the Pennsylvania State Police in their search for murder suspect Eric Frien. Frien allegedly shot and killed a Pennsylvania State Trooper on Sept. 12, 2014.

Since Oct. 8th, 2004, the Plattsburgh Air Branch has flown more than 20,500 accident free hours and is credited with the seizure of more than 15,377 pounds of marijuana, 239 weapons, more than 500 pounds of cocaine, more than $16,000,000 in cash and assisted with 860 arrests.

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 the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

Last Modified: Feb 03, 2021