Is it better to be a police officer or Border Patrol Agent?

Question

Pros vs Cons?

Answer 1

--- Its not a pros vs cons question. The 2 jobs are completely different and bare completely different responsibilities.

--- Police Officers are employed by States, Counties and Municipalities and are restricted to working within those jurisdictions and confined to enforcing only the laws of states and municipalities.

--- They could be patrolling streets in uniformed patrol, working under cover, working with teens & children, helping the elderly, marine patrol, aero spatial patrol, working the freeway systems, to information management, evidence work and even advanced research ( example: better & better less than lethal weapons)

--- Those laws and ordinances that Police Officers enforce are widely varied and include everything from Murder, Robbery, Rape, and Battery down to excessive noise violations, barking dog calls and littering. What police officers do not enforce is the  federal laws of immigration or any other federal laws unless they are laws that are both illegal by the state and federal government such as bank robbery.

--- Border Patrol Agents, now called CPB Agents (Customs & Border Patrol), are Federal Agents and are therefore retricted to enforcing ONLY federal laws and further specialized to Border protection and security by their agency. CBP Agents sole job used to be to secure the nations borders from illegal entry of both material and human contraband.

--- NOTE:  The US Bureau of Customs and the US Border Patrol along with US Immigration Control and numerous other Federal Agencies were all consolidated under the single umbrella of the United States Department of Homeland Security after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 and charged with regulating and facilitating international trade, collecting import duties, and enforcing U.S. trade laws.

--- Its other primary mission has become preventing terrorists and terrorist weapons ( read that as Nukes, BioWeapons and Chemical Weapons of Mass Destruction) from entering the United States. CBP is also responsible for apprehending individuals attempting to enter the United States illegally, stemming the flow of illegal drugs and other contraband, protecting the United States agricultural and economic interests from harmful pests and diseases, and protecting American businesses from theft of their intellectual property.

--- CBP Agents could be working at any of the border crossing stations or points of entry at ocean or air ports as well as patrolling along the physical borders with our northern and southern neighbors.

--- There they can find themsleves doing anything from tracking illegals through the desert to operating UAVs (Unmanned Air Vehicles) for surveillance of drug and illegal routes.  They can be at desert border stations or working in Florida or the Texas Pan Handle with the Coast Guard mutual assistance operations.

--- So, as you see they are very different jobs and you would be doing very different things in each.

--- If you are young and interested  most police agencies nave police explorer programs through the Boy/Girl Eagle Scout programs. In htese programs youi can get a much closer view of the career.

--- Also, Customs & Border Patrol also has CBP Explorer programs so you can explore it further if you qualify and are the right age group of course.

--- I placed a url\link for the CBP site that has a lot of information you might be interested in.

--- You can also search out your local Police/ Sheriff/ or State Police agency site to explore their individual information.

Answer 2

Border Patrol, Feds get great benefits, especially health care, government picks up 73% of your medical., and in retirement also.

Answer 3

yes.because you can save others life and find a proof

Answer 4

John R hit the nail on the head with his first line. It's two completely lines of work. Just because you wear a uniform and carry a gun doesn't mean they are alike.