Thread: U.S. Border Patrol seeks 500 agents

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepubli ... s0217.html

U.S. Border Patrol seeks 500 agents
Arthur H. Rotstein
Associated Press
Feb. 17, 2007 12:00 AM

TUCSON - The U.S. Border Patrol's Tucson sector is planning to add 500 additional agents by September 2008 to reach its target of 3,100 agents along the segment of the Arizona-Mexico border that it oversees.

The increase is part of a nationwide push to add more than 6,000 agents to the Border Patrol's nearly 14,000-member force, Tucson sector Chief Michael Nicley said.

The plan was announced by President Bush last year and is designed to reign in illegal immigration on the U.S.-Mexican border.

If it reaches its hiring goal, the Tucson sector would have more than twice the agents it had in July 2000. The sector, which stretches 260 miles along the Arizona-Mexico border, had nearly 1,500 agents then.

In 1996, the sector had just 702 agents, and in 1994, it had 300.

The Yuma sector to the west also has seen major expansion. It had about 300 agents in fiscal 2001 compared with its current 800 agents. The Yuma sector is expected to expand to 1,100 agents by September 2008, spokesman Albert Bosco said.

Tied in with the hiring surge is the temporary presence of National Guard troops in Arizona and the other three states bordering Mexico.

The soldiers are helping with non-law enforcement duties in order to free up agents for patrol duty. Some are concentrating on building fences, vehicle barriers, and roads, or installing cameras and lighting. Others work in communications, monitor cameras, repair vehicles, or man observation posts to watch for and report illegal immigrants to the Border Patrol.

Nicley said there are probably about 850 Guardsmen currently serving in the Tucson sector.

"We do need more agents than we have now, but the target number for the Tucson sector at this point is about 3,100," Nicley said.

The agency's recruiting efforts are focusing on major hiring events, including one Feb. 24 in Tucson, which will offer prospective agents the chance talk with recruiting agents and take a pretest as well as an official four-hour exam.

Nicley said competition with law enforcement and other federal agencies for top-rank recruits is keen.

After what is happening to our Border Guards trying to do their job on the border, I can only say,,,,,,,Good Luck!

http://www.kold.com/Global/story.asp?S=6101228

Border Patrol Hiring Event Scheduled for Tucson

Feb 16, 2007 09:42 PM PST


By J.D. Wallace, KOLD News 13 Reporter

On Friday morning, the Border Patrol got its chance to put a room full of reporters to the test.

"The test you took here today is very similar to the actual test questions that people will be facing,' said agent Kevin Doughty.

Thousands will take it. Doughty will be just one of about 50 Border Patrol recruiters criss-crossing the country in the search for six thousand additional agents in two years.

"Six thousand is just unprecedented. I don't think there's an agency anywhere in the country that's had to hire that many officers in that short a period of time," said the Tucson Sector Chief Michael Nicely.

It means offering days where those interested in joining can show up, talk to a recruiter, take pre-test, and then decide whether to take the real thing.

"Exam is the first step. Before you do the medical, before you do the oral board, before you do all that other stuff, you have to pass the exam," Nicely said.

And then there's the five-month academy, all before anyone is actually hired with the Border Patrol.

"Someone who has no prior military, no prior law enforcement and really has been in an unstructured environment, it's more of a shock. They still get through it, but it's more of a shock to the system," Nicely said.

Immigrant rights groups like Derechos Humanos have said more agents on the border forces people crossing without papers to do it in more remote, dangerous places.

"The way to have a safe border is to have a secure border. People can't come into the United States or are deterred from coming into the United States, they're not going to fall victim to criminal activity and they're not going to fall victim to medical distress while trying it," Nicely argued.

New hires are all expected on the southwest border.

Agent Doughty has already accepted the challenge facing him.

"We're hitting areas in the country we've never hit before, and we're doing things that are kind of a little outside the box, but those are the things we're doing to get the numbers that we need," Doughty said.

Those interested should go to the Hilton Tucson East, 7600 E. Broadway on Saturday, February 24th, between 7 A.M. and 6 P.M.

Applicants should also be physically fit. They should be able to do 25 sit ups in one minute, and 20 push ups in one minute, along with a step test that lasts five minutes at a rate of 30 steps a minute.

Originally Posted by nittygritty

After what is happening to our Border Guards trying to do their job on the border, I can only say,,,,,,,Good Luck!

Yeah, I wonder what potential new recruits wants to sign up to be the next one to be put in prison? duh

I'm so glad I moved back from Tucson to Ohio!!