Picture taking at border sparks concerns

Photo: Deborah Pfeiffer

It’s not a good idea to take pictures of ports of entry,  because it could alarm U.S. and Canadian officials on both sides of the border, according to Mike Milne,  spokesman for U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Seattle.

Milne made the comments Tuesday, after Castanet news reporter Deborah Pfeiffer was briefly detained Friday and asked by an official to delete pictures of the line-up she had taken at the Osoyoos border crossing.

“This is in general and not tied to the heightened awareness on Friday,” he said. “It’s just so we know someone is not a terrorist and taking pictures for that reason.”

The heightened awareness on the part of law enforcement was in place that day, as the manhunt for the second suspect in the Boston marathon bombing continued.

Other than that, it was business as usual at the border, with day to day operations in place.

Line-ups were of typical duration, with cross-border shoppers heading down to Oroville to shop, and people returning the other direction, after visiting in the U.S.

Similar policies regarding taking photos are in place around U.S. federal buildings.

For news reporters on assignment and others needing to take pictures for some reason at ports of entry, it’s a good idea to let U.S. border protection know in advance.

Typically pictures taken off of the property are also OK.

“We are more than happy to cooperate. We just need to have everything cleared in advance, so there are no misunderstandings,” said Milne.

Although one suspect  in last week’s bombing is dead and the other has been captured and charged, it is just one incident in many.