Detroit, Wayne County join up to patrol Canadian border

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The Detroit Police Department and Wayne County Sheriff's Office are joining efforts to secure the border better between Canada and the United States - and it won't cost either side any more staffing, money, or equipment.

Detroit Police Chief James Craig and Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon announced Wednesday they are combining resources in the air and water to better patrol the border.

The Detroit-Windsor border is number one of the highest traveled border crossings in the country: it has the most commercial travel, third most vehicls, and fourth highest busses and trains crossing it daily.

Sheriff Napoleon says that these efforts will result in a budget neutral, meaning no additonal staff, boats or helicopters. Between both departments, they only have one chopper and it belongs to the City. That's a logistic problem for both departments.

"Put that into perspective, when I was the Chief of Police in Detroit, we had four helicopters and now you're down to one that is a 1972, something is wrong with that picture, he may not be able to say it, but I will say it. I'll say it too. Something is wrong with that picture," Napoleon said.

The two leaders tell FOX 2 they hope this teamwork will lead to them seeking federal funding down the line to fight daily crime on the border.

"For us smuggling certainly common, if you go back to the history in the City of Detroit, I'm told there was bootlegging between Canada and coming across the water. But now are biggest concern is, it's no secret is terrorism, preventing it and avoiding the restrictions of going through the border, you can come right across the waterway," Craig said.

Part of the announcement included members of DPD being deputized. That allows them to respond to an emergency outside Detroit - covering 700 square miles - which can make all the difference.

Chief Craig said Wednesday the new efforts are not in response to what happened in Paris or San Bernardino.