HOULTON, Maine — U.S. Border Patrol Chief Carla L. Provost has selected Jason D. Owens as the new Chief Patrol Agent (CPA) of Houlton Sector. Chief Owens assumed command as the 26th Chief Patrol Agent of Houlton Sector on Monday, February 4, 2019.
“I’m truly honored to join the ranks of brave men and women of Houlton Sector,” said Chief Patrol Agent Jason D. Owens. “I look forward to serving alongside you to keep this country and its people safe.”
Chief Owens added, “I thank the people of Maine for your warm and welcome hospitality. I look forward to being a member of this wonderful and unique community!”
Prior to his selection, Chief Owens served as the Deputy Chief Patrol Agent (DCPA) of the Laredo Sector, within the U.S. Border Patrol. As the DCPA, Mr. Owens was responsible for directing U.S. Border Patrol operations along the 171-mile stretch of the U.S./Mexico border and commands over 1,800 agents and support personnel.
Mr. Owens entered on duty in 1996 with the 325th session of the U.S. Border Patrol Academy. He was assigned to the El Centro Sector’s Calexico Station where he was promoted to Senior Patrol Agent in 2000 and Supervisory Border Patrol Agent in 2002.
In 2001, Mr. Owens successfully completed both the Border Patrol Tactical Unit (BORTAC), Selection Course XV and the Border Patrol Search, Trauma and Rescue Team (BORSTAR), Selection Course III. He served as an active member of both teams, and deployed on various high-profile operations, including the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City and the Tucson Sector’s Operation Desert Risk in 2003. In 2004, he was promoted to Field Operations Supervisor at BORTAC headquarters in El Paso, Texas. During this time, he led several Counter-narcotics and counterterrorism operations, including deployments to Honduras and Iraq.
In 2007, Mr. Owens was promoted to Assistant Chief at U.S. Border Patrol Headquarters in Washington, DC with the Special Operations Division. His assignments included the Special Operations Group (SOG) liaison and the Assistant Chief over Special Projects. In 2009 he deployed to Columbia and the Dominican Republic as part of the Western Hemisphere Initiative, and he was later assigned to the Foreign Operations Branch as the acting Associate Chief in charge of all Border Patrol foreign deployments and programs.
In 2010, Mr. Owens transferred to the Grand Forks Sector as the Patrol Agent in Charge (PAIC) of the Pembina Station where he managed operations and an area of responsibility (AOR) covering more than 6,000 square miles and 112 miles of international border. He was later promoted to Assistant Chief Patrol Agent and managed the Minnesota AOR.
In 2012, Mr. Owens transferred to the Rio Grande Valley Sector as the PAIC of the Sector Special Operations Detachment (SOD). In this position he commanded the BORTAC, BORSTAR and MRT Teams as well as the Emergency Medical Program. During this time, he also served as the acting Executive Officer for the Operations Division.
In 2014, Mr. Owens was promoted to the PAIC of the Rio Grande City Station, commanding one of the largest and busiest Border Patrol stations in the nation. In November 2015 he was selected as the Division Chief of Operations for the Laredo Sector. June to September of 2016, he was assigned to ICE, Homeland Security Investigations, Office of Intelligence in Washington, DC as the Deputy Assistant Director (DAD) for Enterprise Services. In this Senior Executive Assignment, he spearheaded the deployment of the Agency classified network technology and infrastructure, and the development of a career path program for the Intelligence Research Specialist position. From June 2017 to September 2018, Mr. Owens served as Acting Chief Patrol Agent of the Laredo Sector.
He is a nationally registered paramedic and holds both a master’s degree in Accountancy from Shorter University and a master’s degree in National Security Strategy from the National War College. He is a graduate of the CBP Leadership Institute, the American University Key Executive Leadership Program and the DHS Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program.
Chief Owens and his wife, Doris, have two children, Blake and Zach.