NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. -- Border Patrol has ramped up Sector Intel collaborations in assessing leads with other agencies, according to agent Dean Mandel, as local agencies are operating under a heightened state of awareness after the attacks in Paris.
"Since 9/11, what's really come strong is the communication between the federal and local agencies, so anytime there is anything that we need to be aware of or alerted to that communication is immediate," said Aaron Bowker, Chief Customs and Border Protection Officer.
Being close to an international border also has the Niagara Falls Police Department approaching anti-terrorism efforts with higher vigilance as well.
"We have contingency plans in place and our policies and procedures, we have an emergency response team that's fully capable of responding to such incidents, and we do have an emergency management plan within the City of Niagara Falls that does cover terrorist incidents," said Niagara Falls Police Superintendent Bryan Dalporto.
Several agencies like the Niagara Falls Police Department and the Niagara County Sheriff's Office work with the Joint Terrorism Task Force for anti-terrorism measures.
"We do have representatives that are assigned to the Joint Terrorism Task Force with the FBI so we do get critical intelligence and information and we adjust our staffing levels accordingly," said DalPorto.
"We're always had a heightened state of awareness that has always been the case after 9/11 that's never dropped for us so we're always aware that the potential for travelers coming across the border and the potential threat is always there," Bowker said.
Local, state, and federal law enforcement partners share intelligence and assess threats in an effort to prevent a similar situation like what happened in Paris from happening here.