Thread: Patrol the turnover

Patrol the turnover
Monday, September 22, 2008




The disturbingly high turnover rate of new U.S. Border Patrol agents -- about 30 percent of entry-level agents leave within the first 18 months -- suggests the underlying problems are at the highest levels of the government.

The Bush administration deserves credit for trying to fulfill its pledge of increasing the number of agents to 18,000 by the end of the year. That's up from 12,000 two years ago and double from eight years ago. It costs $14,700 to train just one person.

That means 42 percent of agents have been on the job for less than three years, according to The Associated Press. The overall turnover rate was 10.9 percent since October 2007.


The administration also deserves blame for the high attrition.

Perhaps the wrong people are being hired. Or they come to realize that their employer could turn on them as it did on former agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean, serving draconian prison sentences for wounding a Mexican drug smuggler.

The 200 or more incursions by the Mexican military in the last 10 years also might be a factor.

If it hasn't already done so, the government should ask all former agents why they left. A problem must be identified before it can be fixed.

An inexperienced, undermanned and overworked Border Patrol, especially along America's southern front, is a grave problem that must be corrected.



http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsbu ... 89144.html

FIX THIS PROBLEM.

Yes, fix the problem.

Hire good people, train them well, then allow them to do their jobs.

When they do just that, support them - don't persecute them.

Then tell Mexico to like it or lump it.

Perhaps the wrong people are being hired. Or they come to realize that their employer could turn on them as it did on former agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean, serving draconian prison sentences for wounding a Mexican drug smuggler.

The 200 or more incursions by the Mexican military in the last 10 years also might be a factor.

Who wants to risk their life every day when you have your hands tied and risk jail for actually doing your job? I honestly wonder why anyone wants to be in law enforcement these days at any level. The criminal has all the rights.