U.S. marshals and their Canadian law enforcement counterparts have initiated a new program that is expected to enhance the effectiveness of investigations across the 5,000-mile-long border.

The program was announced Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Justice. The Canada Investigative Liaison Program was modeled after the U.S. marshals’ highly successful Mexico Investigative Liaison Program, created in May 2001.

The U.S. Marshals Service is the primary federal law enforcement agency responsible for fugitive investigations. More than 300 marshal fugitive investigations are centered in Canada, according to the U.S. Marshals Service.

In addition to clearing more than 34,000 federal fugitive warrants in 2002, deputy U.S. marshals cleared more than 27,000 warrants on men and women wanted by state and local law enforcement.

U.S. marshals in Maine have worked informally with Canadian law enforcement officers for years, according to Chief Deputy John Cooper, who is based in the Portland office of the Marshal Service.

The new program would formalize those relationships with an investigator.

Deputy U.S. Marshal Christopher Clifford, based in Lewiston, has been appointed the first liaison from the U.S. Marshals Service in Maine. He will coordinate investigations in Canada with other U.S. marshal districts, and state and local law enforcement agencies.

Cooper said Wednesday that the mission of the program was to speed up investigations. He said a lot of time could be taken up just getting to the right person in the proper agency in a foreign country.

The liaison should be able to help U.S. investigators connect with the proper officials in Canadian law enforcement agencies.

Representatives from the Toronto Fugitive Squad, Canada Immigration Task Force, Royal Canadian Mounted Police and INTERPOL-Ottawa spoke at a training session held last week in Vermont for U.S. marshals working in border states.