By Stephen Dinan - The Washington Times - Friday, March 10, 2017

The Border Patrol won’t cut corners on its standards requiring a polygraph test for new agents even as it prepares to try to hire 5,000 more people, acting Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin K. McAleenan said Friday.

“CBP will not lower standards in recruiting our frontline personnel who work to protect the American people every day,” he said in a statement.

His agency is trying to figure out how to hire agents quickly, without compromising the qualify of people it has. The last hiring binge, at the end of the Bush administration, saw a slight relaxing of training, and caused problems as so many agents were brought on board in such a short time.

The polygraph test has proved to be a particular hurdle for applicants, sinking as many as two-third of those who apply for a job with the Border Patrol, according to an Associated Press story earlier this year.

Even before the 5,000 new agents President Trump has ordered, the Border Patrol and Customs and Border Protection officers, who guard the ports of entry, are both struggling to meet their existing staffing levels.

Some 1,768 Border Patrol agent jobs and 1,046 CBP officer jobs are unfilled, according to Sens. Jeff Flake, John McCain and Ron Johnson.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/...tor-new-hires/