August 12, 2006
American Border Patrol
| Blackhawk chases Border Hawk
M This photo was taken from the Border Hawk M on August 2, 3006 at 11:34 a.m. This Customs and Border Patrol Blackhawk helicopter spotted ABP's Border Hawk M as it was filming the border near Yuma, Arizona. The Blackhawk turned and followed Border Hawk M. ABP's pilot, Glenn Spencer, decided to immediately land at Yuma, cutting short the mission. The Blackhawk followed Spencer all the way to the ground (see second photo taken out of rear window of Border Hawk M as Spencer approached Yuma airport. (According to Spencer, he was in contact with the Yuma control tower and Yuma approach control at all times during the photo mission.) Upon landing, armed CBP officers approached Spencer and demanded to see his identification. They then searched the Border Hawk M. The officers claimed that the Border Hawk M was in Mexico when first they spotted it. The photo and video record of the incident shows this is not true. "If they had any question as to who we were and what we were doing, all they had to do is contact Air Traffic Control and they would have told them," Spencer said. Spencer says the lack of communication between Customs and Border Protection "and just about everyone else" shows a lack of professionalism. |
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