Studies to be Completed into Radar Proposal in Grosse Pointe Farms

The first of two informational meetings on the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol wants to install to help monitor Lake St. Clair drew about 20 residents Friday night.

Gathered in Grosse Pointe Memorial Church, the representative from Border Patrol, Gregory Lambert, provided a short explanation of the radar proposal and its purpose. He also fielded questions from residents.

The meeting revealed two studies that officials are conducting.

Grosse Pointe Farms officials have recruited the use of a recommended environmental engineer to analyze the radar proposal including health effects, Farms Director of Public Services Terry Brennan said.

Local U.S. Cutoms and Border Patrol officlals have made a request to Washington for an independent study involving a doctor to be performed on the proposed radar, Lambert said.

The hope is that the studies will be completed before the next Farms council meeting, March 11, when Border Patrol plans to seek council's approval for the radar. Brennan said if the city's study is not complete, the issue will be put off until after completion.

The engineer has expertise in electromagnetic fields, Brennan said, explaining the study is being conducted on behalf of the city and the residents. Afterward, he said an expert is truly necessary to sort through the information.

City Manager Shane Reeside initiated the study following the last council meeting, when Border Patrol came before council to present information about the radar, its purpose and design, Brennan said.

Friday night's meeting included a question and answer session that at times became confrontational between Lambert and residents.

Questions by residents focused on whether there are alternative options that could work in place of the radar to monitor Lake St. Clair, whether the radar and camera combination at Gull Island could monitor the entire lake on its own and the exact appearance of the radar as it will be on the tower at Grosse Pointe Club.

Lambert answered some questions and declined to answer others based on the investigative nature of the Border Patrol.

Lambert said there were not viable alternative options to the radar, citing cost and inclement weather conditions as factors in the possibility of using another higher powered camera system suggested by a resident.

He also explained how the radar will be a pulse signal that transmits for 20-seconds of every 24 hours--an amount of radiation exposure that is less than what people are typically exposed to with a cell phone.

Both Grosse Pointe Farms city council candidates, Joe Ricci and Liz Vogel, were present. Additionally, Director of Public Safety, Dan Jensen, attended the meeting.

Afterward, Border Patrol Agent Geoffrey Ramer, of the public affairs office, said the difficulty the agency has in monitoring this particular border is related to the "unique maritime environment." Unlike the southern border of the U.S., Ramer said Lake St. Clair presents a unique situation because it's very easy for a smuggler to blend in with pleasure boaters.

He referenced Jobby Nooner as a specific example, saying how difficult it is to monitor when there are thousands of boaters on the water essentially for a party. It's a stark contrast to the southern border, where it's clear if someone is illegally entering the country.

There is a "crossable international line for tourism" making the area available to many for legitimate reasons but also being available to people wishing to conduct illegitimate business or activity, Ramer said.

The waterways seperating Canada and the United States continue to be used by people to smuggle drugs and illegal immigrants, Ramer said, citing three significant cases last that resulted in arrests.

One included a convicted sex offender who left a halfway house in Canada and was fleeing by coming to the U.S. Another included two Albanian men who entered via boat and were arrested in downtown Marysville.

During the meeting, Jenson also added that there is more activity related to illegal smuggling of drugs or people on the water than what most people probably realize. In part, he said, the arrests are not always highly publicized but also the process is swift.

He referenced a case from last summer in which four men were found crawling up the lawn of a home on Windmill Pointe Drive from the lake as one local case. The known as the St. Clair straights that leads to Harrison Township seems to have more activity likely because of the close distance between the borders and the now shallower waterway--making it almost walkable.

The next informational meeting is scheduled for Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Grosse Pointe Memorial Church.

Correction: This story was altered at 9:17 a.m. Feb. 23, 2013, to reflect the proper wattage for the radar, which is 50,000-watts.