The Houlton Sector United States Customs and Border Protection Color Guard presents its colors at the ribbon cutting ceremonies of the new 24,000-square-foot stateof the-art facility in Rangeley. (Laura Dunham photo) RANGELEY — To serve and protect was Patrol Agent in Charge Jeff Beauregard’s topic for the 150 people that turned out Thursday, July 22 in Rangeley for the ribbon cutting ceremonies for the new 24,000-square-foot United States Custom and Border Patrol Station.

Beauregard, along with Houlton Sector Chief Patrol Agent Joseph Mellia, said they were so pleased to see so many law enforcement partners attend the opening. Law enforcement personnel came from the Maine State Police, Franklin County Sheriff’s Department, Oxford County Sheriff’s Department, several police departments, helicopter pilots and helicopter from Houlton, representatives from the custom and border protection station at Coburn Gore and many border protection agents from across the state.

Among those taking part in the ribbon cutting ceremonies Thursday, July 22 at the new $5.9 million border patrol station in Rangeley were: Mike Krolczyk with C. D. Smith Construction out of Wisconsin; Kevin Thorpe with Mark Partners LLC; Patrol Agent in Charge of the Rangeley Station Jeff Beauregard; Linda Dexter, first selectman for Dallas Plantation; Joseph Mellia, Houlton Sector Chief Patrol Agent; and Gary Tharpe, Deputy Division Chief of the Northern and Coastal Border Division. (Laura Dunham photo) “The focus now,” said Mellia, “is on terrorism as we patrol the 611 miles of border in our area.”

The Houlton Sector honor guard began the day’s celebration of the new $5.9 million facility located on seven acres just outside the Rangeley Village. The state-of-the-art facility may accommodate up to 50 agents and staff. Outside the facility Thursday at the landing strip were about 20 new vehicles, which will be used by the agents with about 22 agents now located in Rangeley.

Sally Field, a former Rangeley resident, holds a photograph of her late dad, Eric Sandstrom, one of the first border patrolmen to serve in Rangeley. (Laura Dunham photo) “This facility will accommodate the requirements of the border patrol’s operations in fulfilling the priority mission of the border patrol to prevent the entry of terrorists and terrorist weapons into the United States,” said Beauregard. The facility will also enable agents to more effectively and efficiently complete the traditional missions to deter the illegal entry of aliens and contraband and to interdict and apprehend persons and contraband that illegally enter the United States, added Beauregard.

Also on hand were several relatives whose fathers were former border patrolmen in Rangeley, including Ellie Ingram and her brother, Ralph Roland, whose dad was the late Francis Roland who started the Rangeley Border Patrol in 1943. Also on hand was Sally Field whose dad was the late Eric Sandstrom, and Gary Priest whose father was the late Phil Priest —both among the first border patrolmen in Rangeley. The family members presented Wayne Maglione, Supervisor of the Houlton and Rangeley Headquarters, a flag that flew over the first border patrol station in Rangeley in 1948.

A buffet dinner was enjoyed by all.

The United States Customs and Border Protection is a unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security. It was noted that there is 5,000 miles of border with Canada, 1,900 miles with Mexico and 95,000 miles of shoreline and that there are more than 57,000 people employed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, United States Customs and Border Protection. There are also 327 ports of entry and 139 Border Patrol Stations with 37 permanent check points, said custom officials.

On a typical day in 2009 over 900,000 passengers and pedestrians were processed, with over 6,000 pounds of drugs seized and over 2,000 people apprehended for illegal entry into the United States.