Fok

Thinking about becoming a border officer, get to carry a gun etc. Any body out there currently working in this line of work? Just wondering on the downsides of the job. I suspect it's just processing people through day in and day out. But I can't see it being to stressful?

Thanks.

Altimus Prime

Considering our border leaks like a colander, and with all the political hub-bub over illegal immigration, I can't see it being a low stress job.

gilbertr76

I would venture to guess that patrolling the US-Canadian border would be far less stressful that patrolling the US-Mexican border.

crazyronin

Just remember that if you actually try to enforce the border, they'll reward your efforts with some prison time.

Goldblum

But don't even think about pointing it at anyone.

OldDude

And half the people will curse you for protecting the border, the other half, for not protecting it.

DVD Polizei

Downside? You get shot and killed by drug traffickers and you don't even make the news. If you have a wife and a kid, she is now on her own.

If you don't have a family, then I say do it. If you do have a family, I'd try to find something else.

NORML54601

Altimus Prime

Not really. You've got to be on constant lookout for all those Canadian bacon smugglers.

Some Americans get really hooked on it, and then can't go back to eating regular bacon. Of course, they're so addicted they don't realize it's just ham.

DVD Polizei

True. But the jobs aren't recruiting north of the US. You go south. If you have any seniority, you go north.

gilbertr76

I had no idea!

I'll definitely keep a suspicious eye out the next time I visit the wifey's family up in Washington.

gilbertr76

So you have to start by going down, and you can get off your knees after getting some seniority under your own belt?

BradJ

From what I hear, and I've had many friends in BP over the years, it's a lot of sitting around. They don't even let you drive, it's sitting in a truck and watching.

You get in a lot of fights, get a lot of rocks thrown at you, and you're pretty much by yourself with backup miles and miles away while you're sent to intercept a load of 20 UDAs on foot, probably smuggling drugs and most likely armed.

I wouldn't recommend it.

What about city police?

mikehunt

the canadian border people go on strike every few months here
well not officially on strike, they just work really slow at letting people cross the bridge

the american border guards get suspended or arrested for actually guarding the mexican border

Jason

Yeah, they get to carry guns too.

Have you considered the Marine Corps?

leest3

How many people have actually been killed patrolling the border? I am not sure that's why I'm asking?

Fok

Thought about becoming a cop, but the wife doesn't like that idea. I thought Border patrol would be a good compromise. Not too many incidents here in Canada though.

crazyronin

Oh crap, I just realized the OP is part of the CIA*.

Dude, join up. I hear the CBP gets all the good dope!


*Canadian Infiltration Agency

funstan

Let's not forget about the crappy pay, that has to be an incentive.

cultshock

Wait, you're in Canada, so do you mean you want to work for Canada Customs or Border Services? They don't get to carry guns (not yet anyway). At any rate, jobs in that field cover much more than just patrolling the border. When you start out, I think they have you rotate in different duties (eg. in the booth dealing with people entering Canada, processing commerical goods shipments entering Canada, etc). I know people who work for Canada Customs, it's a pretty good career if you can get in.

JimRochester

Recents events prove this true. The news is full of examples where police officers legally doing their job then get screwed by the system. Remember the officers who responded to the AK47 toting bank robbers? The survivors are being sued by the estate of one of the robbers for excessive force.

I would not choose border at this time.

If you want to carry a gun, get a permit.

Fok

I saw the pay scales and they're not too bad actually as well. If anything, I may try and get it part time. The dead line is Nov 2007 as it looks like they're on a hiring phase.

DVD Polizei

Well, it wouldn't hurt to try. You might end up closer to home.

Michael T Hudson

There was a big ad in the paper for jobs on the border a few months ago. I looked at the great pay they were offering is seemed to make any decent money you had to work a ton of over time.


These are full-time permanent positions being filled in the excepted service. Initial
appointments are made at the GL-5 ($35,595), GL-7 ($40,519) and GL-9 ($45,189) grade levels with non-competitive promotion potential to GL 11 ($52,912). Border Patrol Agents can earn up to an additional 25 percent of basic salary each year in overtime pay. Salaries are based on the General Schedule for 2007.

What is funny they advertised it as starting at around 45,000. The local police dept in Austin pays better after cadet school.

Position


Salary

Police Cadet


$32,001

Probationary Officer


$47,022

Police Officer 1 year anniversary


$52,766

Police Officer 2 year anniversary


$58,242

nodeerforamonth

Do we even have border guards anymore? I thought they weren't even allowed to do their jobs anymore.