Shortly after creation of the Detroit Border Patrol Sector, a second Sector was created at Sault Ste. Marie. This Sector was to control the mounting volume of illegal entry and smuggling across the St Mary’s River between Drummond Island and WhiteFish Bay.

Coincidental with the growth of the Border Patrol, was a steadily worsening border situation. As the prohibition era reached the peak of its infamy, lawlessness and violence became more common along on the water borders of the Detroit Sector. Several Detroit Sector Patrol Inspectors were killed in the line of duty during this period.

As border violations continued to mount through the 20’s, the Sector’s strength was correspondingly increased. By March of 1926, the Sector force increased to 70 Patrol Inspectors and by July 1928, the total had reached 113 officers. This represented nearly 15% of the nation’s total Border Patrol strength of 850 men.

Not until after the repeal of prohibition did border violations start to decline. At that time, the Sector force had reached a record strength of 141 Patrol Inspectors. This included the Sault Ste. Marie office, which had been added to the Sector. Detroit then had the largest complement of any sector in the nation. Besides patrol automobiles, Detroit personnel also utilized patrol boats and motorcycles to conduct official duties.

From 1964 to 1996, Detroit Sector Headquarters was located at Jefferson and Mount Elliott, in downtown Detroit, sharing its work space with Detroit District Office. In 1996, Sector Headquarters moved into newly renovated quarters at 26000 South St., Bldg 1516 on Selfridge ANGB, Mt. Clemens, Michigan. The one story brick building is owned and maintained by the Air National Guard.

The Detroit Sector is responsible for 863 miles of international water boundary with Canada and encompasses the State of Michigan and portions of the States of Indiana, Ohio, and Illinois. The State of Michigan is comprised of 83 counties extending over approximately 57,000 square miles. Michigan is surrounded by Lakes Superior, Huron, Saint Clair, Michigan and Erie and by the Detroit, Saint Clair and Saint Mary’s Rivers.

The State of Michigan is made up of the upper and lower peninsulas. The Lower Peninsula is relatively flat with only a scattering of low rolling hills. The southern half of this peninsula contains 22,000 square miles of fertile farmland and a great majority of the state’s population.

Rolling hills interspersed with a few mountainous areas largely covers the Upper Peninsula. The northern half of the Lower Peninsula and a great percentage of the Upper Peninsula are covered by almost seven million acres of state and national forests.

For approximately 8 to 9 months of the year, the rivers and lakes allow easy access to the United States from Canada. For the remainder of the year, ice forms on many of the rivers and lakes impeding navigation by boat. However, numerous “ice bridges” form which facilitate illegal crossing by foot or snowmobile.