Thinking about becoming a Border guard
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Thinking about becoming a Border guard
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.
Thanks.
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Originally Posted by 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.
Thanks.
#7
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.
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.
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Originally Posted by gilbertr76
I would venture to guess that patrolling the US-Canadian border would be far less stressful that patrolling the US-Mexican border.

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Originally Posted by gilbertr76
I would venture to guess that patrolling the US-Canadian border would be far less stressful that patrolling the US-Mexican border.
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.
#10
Originally Posted by gilbertr76
I would venture to guess that patrolling the US-Canadian border would be far less stressful that patrolling the US-Mexican border.

#11
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Originally Posted by 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.
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.

I'll definitely keep a suspicious eye out the next time I visit the wifey's family up in Washington.
#12
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Originally Posted by DVD Polizei
True. But the jobs aren't recruiting north of the US. You go south. If you have any seniority, you go north. 


#13
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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?
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?
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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
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
#15
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Originally Posted by 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?
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?
Have you considered the Marine Corps?
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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.
#20
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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.
Last edited by cultshock; 04-08-07 at 12:37 PM.
#21
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Originally Posted by crazyronin
Just remember that if you actually try to enforce the border, they'll reward your efforts with some prison time.
I would not choose border at this time.
If you want to carry a gun, get a permit.
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Originally Posted by 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.
#23
Originally Posted by 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.
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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
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