By Don Glynn
Niagara Gazette
NIAGARA FALLS —
A retired U.S. Border Patrol agent who headed the Buffalo office for more than 10 years said Wednesday he shares the growing concern that terrorists could strike again before the 10th anniversary of the 9-11 attacks.
“It’s a big concern that terrorists or their sympathizers would attempt to replicate such an act of terrorism, especially as that anniversary approaches,” said Richard Mauer of Angola, the agent-in-charge at Buffalo office before retiring from the agency after 31 years of service.
Some 3,000 people died Sept. 11, 2001, when terrorists crashed airliners into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon in Washington, and into a field in rural Pennsylvania.
When Mauer joined the Border Patrol, the agency had 1,800 personnel assigned to the Mexican and northern borders. Today, there are some 20,000 agents.
In 1995, the Buffalo office had 10 agents covering 13 counties in Western New York. Today, Buffalo has 90 agents and Niagara Falls, about 50.
Mauer is in Niagara Falls to chair the three-day convention of the Fraternal Order of Retired Border Patrol Officers that opened Tuesday at the Sheraton at The Falls (the former Crowne Plaza), Third Street.
An estimated 200 people including 106 retired officers and 82 guests are registered for the 33rd annual convention that ends this evening with Kevin Oaks, chief patrol agent-Buffalo Sector, as the dinner speaker.
Mauer’s remarks echoed what police chiefs and domestic security officials across the country said earlier in the week — that they were stepping up counterterrorism operations to combat any possible strike on U.S. soil to avenge the killing of Osama bid Laden during the May 1 firefight in Pakistan.
Leslie Honaker of Phoenix, Ariz., has served as the coordinator for the 33rd annual convention.
Honaker noted that for Emmanuel “Dutch” Steenbakker, San Clemente, Calif., a retired as assistant chief of the Border Patrol’s Tucson office, the Falls convention is also a family reunion. His son, Emmanuel, is a Border Patrol officer assigned to the Buffalo office.
A general meeting of the retired group is set for 9 a.m. today with a reception at 6 p.m. before the dinner in the Crowne Jewel Ballroom.
Among the dinner speakers will be John Koren of Sierra Vista, Calif., president of the Fraternal Order of Retired Border Patrol Officers, and Oaks.
Color guards from the U.S. Border Patrol-Buffalo Sector and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police-Ontario will participate in the pre-dinner ceremonies.
During their stay, the group will ride the Maid of the Mist boat and tour area attractions.
Several retirees competed in a pistol match at the Niagara County Sportsmen’s Association range in Lewiston. James Carroll of Ransomville, who had served as an agent in the Buffalo-Niagara area for many years, won the competition.
Dallas will host the 2012 convention.
