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How many people have been Chief of the Border Patrol?

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In March 1926, General Order 61 established the role of "Supervisor of the Border Patrol," now known as the Chief of the Border Patrol. Consequently, the Border Patrol did not have a designated Chief during its initial two years, from 1924 to 1926.

Instead of having a single Chief, the Border Patrol began with two separate Chiefs, one for the northern border and one for the southern border. Ruel Davenport and George Harris were the first Chiefs of the Border Patrol.

As George Harris served nonconsecutive terms, Chief Ortiz is the 25th Chief of the Border Patrol, though he is the 24th individual to hold the position. Below is the list of the Chiefs of the U.S. Border Patrol, along with their respective years of service:

  1. Ruel E. Davenport (photo) - Northern Border, 1926-1927 - Border Patrol, 1927-1932 
  2. George J. Harris (photo) - Southern Border, 1926-1927
  3. Frank W. Berkshire (photo) - Canadian Border District, 1932-1933
  4. George J. Harris (photo) - Mexican Border, Gulf and Florida District, 1932-1933
  5. Willard F. Kelly (photo), 1933-1943 (First Chief to have been a Border Patrol Inspector)
  6. John W. Nelson (photo), 1943-1948
  7. Nicolas Donald Collaer (photo), 1948-1950
  8. Harlon B. Carter (photo), 1950-1957 (First Chief to have graduated from the Academy)
  9. James F. Greene (photo), 1957-1959
  10. Donald R. Coppock (photo), 1960-1973
  11. Robert L. Stewart (photo), 1973-1977
  12. Robin J. Clack (photo), 1977-1978
  13. Donald Day (photo), 1978-1979
  14. Roger P. Brandemuehl (photo), 1980-1986
  15. Hugh Brien (photo), 1986-1989 (Naturalized citizen of Ireland)
  16. Michael S. Williams (photo), 1990-1995
  17. Douglas M. Kruhm (photo), 1995-1998
  18. Gustavo De La Vina (photo), 1998-2004
  19. David V. Aguilar (photo), 2004-2010
  20. Michael J. Fisher (photo), 2010-2015
  21. Mark A. Morgan (photo), 2016-2017
  22. Ronald D. Vitiello (photo), 2017-2018
  23. Carla L. Provost (photo), 2018-2020
  24. Rodney S. Scott (photo), 2020-2021
  25. Raul L. Ortiz (photo), 2021-present

Please refer this document containing the portraits of the Chiefs of the U.S. Border Patrol up to Rodney Scott. Note that Chief Collaer's name is misspelled in the document.

How many people have been Chief of the Border Patrol?


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