SAN DIEGO—The U.S. Border Patrol had a change in command staff on December 14, 2014, when a new Chief Patrol Agent took over the helm of San Diego Sector.
Following the departure of Chief Patrol Agent Paul A. Beeson, who was promoted to Commander and relocated to the Tucson Sector in Arizona, Richard A. Barlow became the new Chief Patrol Agent in December. He returns to San Diego after a four-year absence.
Chief Barlow is a familiar face within the San Diego Sector. He entered on duty with the U.S. Border Patrol in 1985 and worked a variety of assignments at the Imperial Beach, Brown Field, El Cajon, and Campo Stations—all located in San Diego Sector. Serving as the Deputy Chief Patrol Agent between 2006 and 2009, he then served as San Diego’s Acting Chief Patrol Agent from 2009 to 2010.
After a number of years in San Diego, Chief Barlow was reassigned to the position of Deputy Chief Patrol Agent in the Tucson Sector in November 2010, then promoted to Chief Patrol Agent in November 2011. As the Chief Patrol Agent for the Tucson Sector, he had oversight of 262 linear border miles along the U.S./Mexico International Boundary. He managed eight stations and approximately 4,200 agents. In 2013, Barlow relocated to Washington, DC, to serve as Chief of the Strategic Planning, Policy and Analysis Division at Border Patrol headquarters.
Chief Patrol Agent Richard Barlow said, “I’m very excited to be back in San Diego and look forward to working with the men and women of the San Diego Sector, the civilian community, and our federal, state, local, and tribal law-enforcement partners.”