Being a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) border patrol agent is crucial to US security, with a mission to stop illegal entry and prevent terrorism. The application process is involved, with physical fitness, intelligence, courage, and Spanish proficiency required. The process takes six to eight months and includes an online application, written test, selection process, oral interview, and pre-employment process.
While being a Customs and Border Protection (CPB) border patrol agent can be one of the most thankless and exhausting jobs, it is also one of the most crucial to the security of the United States. Its mission may have evolved from its beginnings in 1924, but today its main mission remains to stop people from entering the country illegally. As terrorism has become more of a threat, CBP’s priority is to prevent terrorists or weapons that could be used by terrorists from crossing the border. Border Patrol agents also try to stop people from smuggling illegal contraband, such as drugs, across the border.
Border Patrol agents have a daunting job: patrolling and protecting approximately 9,000 miles (9,656 kilometers) of land borders and 3,219 miles (3,219 kilometers) of coastal borders. Today, there are approximately 11,000 Border Patrol agents who patrol America’s canyons, mountains, deserts and beaches, in the southern heat and the northern cold. They patrol by helicopter, boat, all-terrain vehicle (ATV), on foot, horseback, motorcycle, bicycle and snowmobile.
For those interested in pursuing a career as a border patrol agent, the process can also be daunting. As with any police career, the interview process is quite involved to weed out unqualified applicants. From start to finish, the process usually takes six to eight months. Prospective border patrol agents must be physically fit, exhibit intelligence and courage, and demonstrate some proficiency in speaking Spanish or the ability to learn another language.
Border Patrol applicants must be US citizens under 40 years of age and possess a valid driver’s license. A bachelor’s degree is preferred, but a combination of education and experience may be considered. Vision must be corrected to 20/100 and the applicant cannot require the use of a hearing aid. The process for applying for a job as a border patrol agent begins online. There are five steps you must complete to request a publication.
Online Application: After submitting the initial application, you will be screened to see if you meet the basic criteria to move to the next level.
Written test: The four and a half hour written test consists of three sections. The first tests the candidate’s logical thinking skills. The second assesses Spanish proficiency or the candidate’s ability to learn a second language. The final section assesses the candidate’s professional experience.
Selection Process: After test scoring, candidates are placed on a national candidate inventory and ranked according to test scores.
Oral Interview: This part is much like any typical job interview. The candidate is asked about related work history and asked hypothetical questions about potential situations.
Pre-employment process: Consists of a drug test, medical exam, physical training test, background check and polygraph test. The physical training portion assesses how many push-ups, sit-ups, and steps the candidate can complete in a specific amount of time. Additionally, the candidate must be able to run 1.5 miles in under 13 minutes and complete a confidence course in 2.5 minutes or less.
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