An RCMP Black Hawk helicopter is being deployed to the B.C. border.
Matching similar moves in other provinces, RCMP says the helicopter will be used to bolster their surveillance and response capabilities at the border between B.C. and the United States.
B.C. already has the largest air service fleet in the RCMP, with both rotary (helicopter) and fixed-wing (airplane) aircraft strategically positioned across the province, but this is the first RCMP Black Hawk helicopter in B.C.
The deployment comes as U.S. President Donald Trump threatens to impose tariffs on Canadian exports for what he has called Canada’s failure to curb the illegal flow of people and drugs across the border.
The Black Hawk will patrol B.C.’s borders with Washington, Idaho and Montana and specifically target anyone involved in human smuggling, trafficking drugs or other contraband, and those crossing illegally into, and out of, Canada, RCMP said.
Police will be on board the helicopter.
“We are excited to add this aerial capability (to) our current repertoire of border surveillance equipment,” Supt. Bert Ferreira, Officer in Charge of Border Integrity for Federal Policing Pacific Region, said.
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“The Canada-U.S. border is well secured on both sides in large part to the great working relationship between the RCMP, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and other partners, all of whom work tirelessly day in and day out.”
RCMP said that anyone who sees or hears the helicopter should not be alarmed as its flight is simply part of normal police operations.
Nationally, the Mounties chartered two Black Hawks to add to their existing fleet of nine smaller helicopters.
“The addition of Black Hawks greatly increases the RCMP’s detection and response capabilities, offering rapid deployment and providing coverage when and where needed in between ports of entry, in line with the RCMP’s mandate,” RCMP said in an online statement last month.
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