Border Patrol Agent

Border Patrol Agent

Oscar

Charleston, SC

Male, 31

Spent a bit over four years (2006-2010) serving as a Border Patrol Agent in Tucson Sector, AZ: the busiest sector in the country. Worked numerous positions, and spent the last year and a half operating/instructing ground radar installations. Duties included: field patrols, transport, processing, control room duties, transportation check, checkpoint operations, static watch duties, etc.

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Last Answer on November 08, 2016

Best Rated

I live in Tucson, AZ and own a Polaris RZR (ATV), frequently take it down El Camino del Diablo trail from Ajo to Yuma. Along the route, I notice big border fence gaps. Is it illegal under US/MX law for me to cross and drive south into MX from here?

Asked by Rob over 11 years ago

Yes.  Well technically not for you to leave the country, but if you come back into the US (even as a US citizen) it is illegal to enter without crossing through a designated Port of Entry.  Likewise you have no protection if you are apprehended by Mexican authorities (though they rarely watch their border).

I guess I'm not really clear on this but do agents routinely patrol their sectors looking for illegals (like cops on a beat) or are they directed to areas when motion sensors are tripped or suspects are reported, etc.

Asked by C L Smith almost 12 years ago

All of the above.  While it depends a lot on terrain and your local conditions, you have a large array of operations.

In our area we had a few "X"s...these are static locations watching a particular point of interest.  You then had patroling units, which would actively be cutting for sign (footprints, debris, trash, spoor) which would indicate a recent group or vehicles.  You also had static ground-sweeping radar.  You had bike units which would operate further in from the border.  You also had occasional aviation units when we could spare them.

In addition to this you have a large number of magnetic and seismic sensors which would register back at the station.  During the day, we also had a Horse Patrol unit which specialized in rougher terrain (they were quite good up in the more mountainous regions).

Now, in some places like Nogales (nicknamed "Nogadishu" for the level of violence about a decade ago) it's an entirely different situation, as the USBP there is operating inside a city etc.  Likewise, some stations operate solely in the mountains and operate heavily by airlifting agents around in helicopters etc.

It varies immensely by station.

Do you receive any training or education on Intelligence while on the Border Patrol?
Also, what are the chances of starting as a BPA and crossing over to the intelligence division of Homeland Security? Or other federal agencies (ICE, FBI, ICE)?

Asked by janjo almost 12 years ago

You get very very basic intelligence training, but nothing that will make you stand out.  In fact those courses were FLETC courses and not the BP courses, so they may not even include them anymore.

Like everything else, the BP does have intel units.  However these units are small, and very difficult to land (normally going to senior agents).  If you were able to get into intel in the BP, then yes I'd imagine there would be a decent amount of crossover.

I am currently doing a certificate in Intelligence Analysis with an online university as that field interests me as well.  I would probably suggest getting some college credits or degrees in intelligence if that's really what your end goal is.  Of course, working in the BP would give you the money to do so.

Good luck!

Was it depressing that the border was such a revolving door? Did you feel like you were making a difference when a new crop of illegals would show up every day?

Asked by Isaac almost 12 years ago

Yep, very depressing and stressful.  Living in AZ it's more than obvious we're not making much of a difference.  From Phoenix to the border the state has been flooded with illegal immigrants.  You'd see hundreds daily just on the drive in to work.  So, short answer - no I did not feel like we were making much of a difference.

It was also very obvious from the agency perspective that there was no genuine desire to effect real change.  The USBP is about 50% just a dog and pony show.  But we all knew that.  We busted our butts, worked hard - but at the end of the day we knew the government etc. was not genuinely serious about "closing the border".

does being a border patrol affect spending time with your family?

Asked by lynn almost 12 years ago

Short answer: yes.  Law enforcement work of any type has statistically been very hard on families and relationships.  Unfortunately law enforcement officers have a much higher rate of substance abuse, suicide, etc.  It's a high stress line of work, working long hours, and dealing with the bottom of society.  A lot of people live fine, normal lives - but the numbers are pretty bad.  High rate of divorce is common.  I do think the BP might be better than some local LEO work.  I was away for an average of 11 hours a day, so if you have loved ones or family, it can be very taxing.

If you did weed once when you where 17 will that stop you from becomeing a border patrol agent

Asked by Mr.305 almost 12 years ago

That question will come up during your background investigation and/or polygraph test.  I'm not sure what effect a positive answer would have in that situation.  It is something that will come up for any government job which involves any level of security clearance though, and I doubt it can help.

Unfortunately in certain lines of work - those things you do on purpose or by accident as a young person can come back and bite you in the ass.  I know several of my fellow agents had smoked weed before joining the BP, but I don't know if they answered truthfully during their background investigations.

Personally I think weed should be legalized, but I imagine it might depend on the person doing your background investigation.

I know that the Border Patrol buys its dogs from independent vendors, so I am wondering if the Border Patrol has a standard for the dogs it uses?

Asked by C L Smith almost 12 years ago

The vast majority of our canines (at least our normal detection/tracking canines) were actually imported from the German Border Police (Bundesgrenschutz) canine school.  Most of the dogs we received had actually failed bite-dog school, and had been repurposed.  This is why our K9 operators use many commands in German, as opposed to English.

Right before I left the BP was starting its bite-dog program, but they had a silly politically correct name for it (Patrol K9's was the term they used) because they were afraid of scaring people (?).  I do not know where the bite-dogs were sourced from.

All of the dogs I worked with were from the German schools.