United States Government Accountability Office

Washington, DC 20548 

 

March 30, 2007 

The Honorable Mike Rogers 

Ranking Minority Member 

Subcommittee on Management, Investigations, and Oversight 

Committee on Homeland Security 

House of Representatives 

Subject: Homeland Security: Information on Training New Border Patrol Agents

Dear Mr. Rogers: 

The U.S. Border Patrol is responsible for patrolling 8,000 miles of the land and coastal borders of the 

United States to detect and prevent the illegal entry of aliens and contraband, including terrorists and 

weapons of mass destruction. Although the Border Patrol apprehends hundreds of thousands of people 

entering the country illegally each year, several hundreds of thousands more individuals successfully 

enter the country illegally and undetected each year.1

 In May 2006, the President called for 

comprehensive immigration reform that included strengthening control of the country’s borders by, 

among other things, adding 6,000 new agents to the Border Patrol by the end of December 2008. This 

would increase the total number of agents from 12,349 to 18,319, an unprecedented 48 percent increase 

over the next 2 years. The Border Patrol plans to add these new agents to the southwest border while 

transferring up to 1,000 experienced agents to the northern border. 

Concerned about the ability of the Border Patrol’s basic training program to accommodate this 

significant increase in Border Patrol agent trainees, you requested that we provide information on the 

content, quality, and cost of the Border Patrol’s basic training program for new agents. This report 

addresses the following questions: 

• To what extent does the Border Patrol’s basic training program for new border patrol agents exhibit 

the attributes of an effective training program and how has the training program changed since 

September 11, 2001? 

• How much does it cost to train a new Border Patrol agent? 

• How does the Border Patrol’s basic training program and cost compare to those of other similar 

federal and nonfederal law enforcement basic training programs? 

• What plans, if any, has the Border Patrol developed or considered to improve the efficiency of its 

basic training program? 

 1

 Congressional Research Service, Border Security: The Role of the U.S. Border Patrol, RL32562 (Washington, D.C.: Jan. 25, 

2006). 

Page 1 GAO-07-540R Border Patrol Training 
To determine the extent to which the Border Patrol’s training program exhibited the attributes and 

characteristics of an effective training program, we reviewed the Border Patrol’s basic training 

curriculum, including course materials, evaluation procedures and forms, and syllabi and compared 

them with GAO’s guide for assessing federal training programs.2

 We also visited the Border Patrol 

Academy in Artesia, New Mexico, and observed training in progress and discussed training content with 

the Academy Chief and course managers. To determine what changes the Border Patrol made to the 

basic training program since September 11, we obtained descriptions of new material added in response 

to the terrorist attacks. 

To determine the cost to train a new border patrol agent, we reviewed the Federal Law Enforcement 

Training Center’s (FLETC) methodology used to calculate the average training cost per agent. To assess 

the reliability of these training cost data, we discussed the data collection methods and internal control 

processes for ensuring data quality with responsible officials and staff, reviewed the data and 

information for reasonableness, and reviewed relevant audits and evaluations related to the data. We

found that the data we used for our analyses were sufficiently reliable for the purposes of this report. We 

also reviewed the model used by Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Office of Finance to formulate 

its budget for deploying a new border patrol agent. 

To compare the cost of the Border Patrol’s basic training program to that of other similar basic training 

programs (i.e., civilian, patrol-based law enforcement training for operations in the southwest region of 

the United States), we obtained course curricula and training cost information from FLETC, the 

Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), the Southern Arizona Law Enforcement 

Training Center, and the Texas Department of Public Safety. We did not identify any private firms 

offering a similar training program. Because the cost information for BIA was calculated by FLETC using 

the same methodology used to provide cost information for the Border Patrol Academy, we determined 

that the information was sufficiently reliable for our purposes. To assess the reliability of the cost 

information provided by Arizona and Texas, we discussed how these cost estimates were derived with 

knowledgeable state officials and obtained and reviewed corroborating documentation for 

reasonableness. We determined that for the purpose of this report, the estimates were sufficiently 

reliable. 

To determine what plans the Border Patrol has, or considered, for improving the efficiency of its basic 

training program, we interviewed CBP officials in headquarters, including the Chief of the Border Patrol; 

the Assistant Commissioner, Office of Training and Development; and Chief Patrol Agents at the Border 

Patrol Academy in Artesia, New Mexico, and in El Paso and Tucson. We also obtained the views of these 

officials, as well as selected supervisory and new Border Patrol agents in the field regarding the training 

of new agents. 

In February 2007, we discussed the results of our work with you. This report conveys the information 

provided during that discussion (see Enclosure I). We performed our work from September 2006 

through March 2007 in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards. 

 2

 GAO, Human Capital: A Guide for Assessing Strategic Training and Development Efforts in the Federal Government, 

GAO-04-546G (Washington, D.C.: March 2004). 

Page 2 GAO-07-540R Border Patrol Training 
Background 

The U.S. Border Patrol, within the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) CBP, is responsible for 

patrolling 8,000 miles of the land and coastal borders of the United States to detect and prevent the 

illegal entry of aliens and contraband, including terrorists, terrorist weapons, and weapons of mass 

destruction. As of October 2006, the Border Patrol had 12,349 agents stationed in 20 sectors along the 

southwest, northern, and coastal borders. FLETC is an interagency training provider responsible for 

basic, advanced, and specialized training for approximately 82 federal agencies, including CBP’s Border 

Patrol. Under a memorandum of understanding, FLETC hosts the Border Patrol’s training academy in 

Artesia, New Mexico, and shares the cost of providing training with the Border Patrol. For example, 

FLETC provides the facilities, some instructors (e.g., retired Border Patrol agents), and services (e.g., 

laundry and infirmary) that are paid for out of FLETC’s annual appropriations. CBP’s Office of Training 

and Development designs the training curriculum (in conjunction with the Border Patrol and with input 

from FLETC) for the academy, administers the Border Patrol Academy, and provides permanent 

instructors and staff. 

Basic training for new Border Patrol agents consists of three components: (1) basic training at the 

academy, (2) postacademy classroom training administered by the academy but conducted in the 

sectors, and (3) field training conducted on the job in the sectors. The academy portion of the training is 

currently an 81-day program consisting of 663 curriculum hours in six subject areas: Spanish, 

law/operations, physical training, driving, firearms, and general training. After graduating from the 

academy, new Border Patrol agents are required to attend classroom instruction at their respective

sectors in Spanish and law/operations 1 day a week for a total of 20 weeks. Finally, new agents are 

generally assigned to senior agents in a sector’s field training unit for additional on-the-job training 

intended to reinforce new agents’ skills in safely, effectively, and ethically performing their duties under 

actual field conditions. 

Results 

The briefing slides in the enclosure address each of our four questions regarding the training of new 

border patrol agents. In summary, we found the following: 

• The Border Patrol’s basic training program exhibits attributes of an effective training program. GAO’s 

training assessment guide suggests the kinds of documentation to look for that indicate that a 

training program has a particular attribute in place, such as incorporating measures of effectiveness 

into its course designs. The Border Patrol had documentation that its training program had at least 1 

key indicator in place for 31 of the 32 attributes of an effective training program.3

 While we 

determined the presence of indicators of particular attributes, we did not assess the extent to which 

these attributes contributed to the quality of the training program. For example, we confirmed that 

the Border Patrol surveys all students at the academy, but we did not verify how the agency used the 

results. In addition, the Border Patrol is pursuing accreditation of its training program from the 

Federal Law Enforcement Training Accreditation organization. The core training curriculum used at 

the Border Patrol Academy has not changed since September 11, but the Border Patrol added new 

material on responding to terrorism and practical field exercises. While Border Patrol officials are 

confident that the academy can accommodate the large influx of new trainees anticipated over the 

 3

 One attribute dealing with the selection or voluntary self-selection of employees was not applicable because basic training is

mandatory for all new Border Patrol agents. 

Page 3 GAO-07-540R Border Patrol Training 
next 2 years, they have expressed concerns over the sectors’ ability to provide sufficient field 

training. For example, officials are concerned with having a sufficient number of experienced agents 

available in the sectors to serve as field training officers and first-line supervisors. CBP officials told 

us that a 5-to-1 agent-to-supervisor ratio is desirable to ensure proper supervision of new agents, 

although the desired ratio in certain work units with more experienced agents would be higher. Our 

analysis of Border Patrol data showed that as of October 2006, the overall agent-to-supervisor ratios 

for southwest sectors, where the Border Patrol assigns all new agents, ranged from about 7 to 1 up to 

11 to 1. These ratios include some work units with a higher percentage of experienced agents that do 

not require the same level of supervision as new agents. However, given the large numbers of new 

agents the Border Patrol plans to assign to the southwest border over the next 2 years, along with the 

planned reassignment of experienced agents from the southwest border to the northern border, it

will be a challenge for the agency to achieve the desired 5-to-1 ratio for new agents in all work units 

in those sectors receiving the largest numbers of new agents. In addition to concerns about having a 

sufficient number of experienced agents, the Border Patrol does not have a uniform field training 

program that establishes uniform standards and practices that each sector’s field training should 

follow. As a result, Border Patrol officials are not confident that all new trainees receive consistent

postacademy field training. While the Border Patrol is in the process of developing a uniform field 

training program, sectors currently design and administer their own field training based on their 

particular operational environment independent of the other sectors. 

• In fiscal year 2006, the average cost to train a new Border Patrol agent at the academy was about 

$14,700. This cost represents the amounts expended by both the Border Patrol and FLETC. The 

Border Patrol paid about $6,600 for the trainee’s meals and lodging, and a portion of the cost of 

instructors, and FLETC paid about $8,100 for tuition, a portion of the cost of instructors, and 

miscellaneous expenses such as support services, supplies, and utilities. The $14,700 cost figure does 

not include the costs associated with instructors conducting postacademy and field training in the 

sectors. 

• Given the Border Patrol’s unique mission and difficulties making direct comparisons with other 

federal and nonfederal law enforcement training programs, it appears that the Border Patrol’s 

average cost per trainee at the academy is consistent with that of training programs that cover similar 

subjects and prepare officers for operations in similar geographic areas. For example, the estimated 

average cost per trainee for (1) a BIA police officer is $15,291; (2) an Arizona state police officer, 

$15,555; and (3) a Texas state trooper, $14,739. However, differences in the emphasis of some subject 

areas over others dictated by jurisdiction and mission make a direct comparison difficult. For 

example, while both the Border Patrol and the Texas Department of Public Safety require Spanish

instruction, the Border Patrol requires 214 hours of instruction compared with 50 hours for a Texas

state trooper. Similarly, the Border Patrol does not provide instruction in investigation techniques 

while BIA, Arizona, and Texas require 139, 50, and 165 hours of such instruction, respectively. 

• The Border Patrol is considering several alternatives to improve the efficiency of basic training 

delivery and to return agents to the sectors more quickly. For example, the Border Patrol is pilottesting a proficiency test for Spanish that will allow those who pass the test to shorten their time at 

the academy by about 30 days. According to Border Patrol officials, this could benefit about half of 

all trainees, because about half of all recruits already speak Spanish. The Border Patrol also plans to 

convert postacademy classroom training to computer-based training, allowing agents to complete the 

1-day-a-week training at their duty stations rather than having to travel to the sector headquarters for 

this training. As a result, fewer senior agents will be required to serve as instructors for postacademy 

training. Finally, the Border Patrol is considering what other training it can shift from the academy to 

postacademy and field training conducted in the sectors, which could further reduce the amount of 

time trainees spend at the academy. However, these planned improvements may present trade-offs 

Page 4 GAO-07-540R Border Patrol Training 
and challenges. For example, some officials said that proficiency testing for Spanish could diminish 

esprit de corps in that while at the academy, those who already speak Spanish sometimes help nonSpanish speakers learn the language, enhancing esprit de corps. In addition, officials expressed 

concern about the sectors’ ability to train and supervise the nearly 6,000 new agents the Border 

Patrol anticipates hiring over the next 2 years. This increase is nearly equivalent to the number of 

agents gained over the past 10 years, from 5,878 at the end of fiscal year 1996 to 12,349 at the end of 

fiscal year 2006. 

Concluding Observations 

The Border Patrol’s basic training program exhibits the attributes of an effective training program, and 

the average cost to train a Border Patrol agent is in line with that of other similar law enforcement 

training programs. However, the Border Patrol’s plan to hire an unprecedented number of new agents 

over the next 2 years could strain the sectors’ ability to provide adequate supervision and training. The 

large influx of new agents and the planned transfer of more experienced agents to the northern border 

could further exacerbate the already higher than desired agent-to-supervisor ratio in some southwest 

sectors. Moreover, the field training new agents receive is not consistent from sector to sector, a fact 

that has implications for how well agents perform their duties. To ensure that these new agents become 

proficient in the safe, effective, and ethical performance of their duties, it will be extremely important 

that new agents have the appropriate level of supervision and that the Border Patrol have a standardized 

field training program. 

Agency Comments and Our Evaluation 

On March 22, 2007, we received written comments on a draft of this report from the Department of 

Homeland Security (see Enclosure II). DHS said that we accurately stated the Border Patrol’s concern 

about the availability of sufficient supervisory personnel to address the rapid influx of inexperienced 

new agents.

DHS pointed out that while a 5-to-1 agent-to-supervisor ratio is desired for work units within a sector 

composed predominantly of new agents, a higher ratio is appropriate for those units composed 

predominantly of more experienced agents. The overall agent-to-supervisor ratio of an entire sector 

would represent a combined average ratio of all work units within the sector. This combined ratio 

results in a higher ratio than if only those work units composed predominantly of new agents were

considered. While this may be true, officials we met with in the field said that achieving the desired 5-to1 ratio for new agents has been a challenge. For example, one supervisory agent said that about threequarters of the 30 to 40 agents assigned to his duty station had 3 or fewer years of experience and only 

three supervisors. We modified our report as appropriate to reflect DHS’s comment that the 5-to-1 ratio 

does not apply to all work units. 

We are sending copies of this report to the Department of Homeland Security and interested 

congressional committees. We will also make copies available to others upon request. In addition, the 

report will be available at no charge on GAO’s Web site at http://www.gao.gov. 

Page 5 GAO-07-540R Border Patrol Training 
If you or your staff have any questions concerning this report, please contact me at (202) 512-8816 or by 

e-mail at Stanar@gao.gov. Key contributors to this report were Michael Dino, Assistant Director; Mark 

Abraham; E. Jerry Seigler; Julie Silvers, Ph.D.; and Gladys Toro. Contact points for our Offices of 

Congressional Relations and Public Affairs may be found on the last page of this report. 

Sincerely yours, 

Richard M. Stana, Director 

Homeland Security and Justice Issues 

Enclosures 

Page 6 GAO-07-540R Border Patrol Training 
Page 7 GAO-07-540R Border Patrol Training 

Enclosure I: Briefing Slides 

Training New Border Patrol 

Agents: An Overview

Briefing for the Honorable Mike Rogers, 

Ranking Minority Member, Subcommittee on 

Management, Investigations, and Oversight, 

House Homeland Security Committee

February 14, 2007 
Page 8 GAO-07-540R Border Patrol Training 

2

Introduction

• The Border Patrol plans to increase the total number of

Border Patrol agents by 6,000 by December 2008.

• To achieve this goal, the Border Patrol anticipates needing to

hire and train about 9,100 agents to account for these 

additional positions and attrition.

• You requested that we provide information on the Border

Patrol’s basic training program for new agents. 
Page 9 GAO-07-540R Border Patrol Training 

3

Objectives

• Determine the extent to which the Border Patrol’s basic training program

for new Border Patrol agents exhibits the attributes of an effective training 

program as outlined in GAO’s guide for assessing training programs* and 

identify how it has changed since September 11, 2001.

• Determine the cost to train a new Border Patrol agent.

• Compare the Border Patrol’s basic training program and cost to other 

similar federal and non-federal law enforcement basic training programs.

• Identify any Border Patrol plans to improve the efficiency of its current 

basic training program.

*U.S. Government Accountability Office, Human Capital: A Guide for Assessing Strategic Training and Development Efforts in the Federal

Government, GAO-04-546G (Washington, D.C.: March 2004).
Page 10 GAO-07-540R Border Patrol Training 

4

Scope and Methodology

• Reviewed Border Patrol’s basic training curriculum including course materials, evaluation procedures and forms,

and syllabi.

• Compared documentation related to the Border Patrol’s basic training program with GAO’s guide for assessing federal training programs to determine the extent to which the Border Patrol’s training program exhibited the 

attributes and characteristics of an effective training program.

• Reviewed the methodology used by the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) to determine the cost

of basic Border Patrol training for fiscal year 2006. To assess the reliability of FLETC’s cost data, we talked with

agency officials about data quality control procedures and reviewed relevant documentation. We determined the

data were sufficiently reliable for the purposes of this report.

• Compared the length, content, and cost of the Border Patrol's basic training program to those of other similar 

basic training programs (i.e., civilian, patrol-based law enforcement training for operations in the southwest region

of the United States), including the Department of Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Southern Arizona Law

Enforcement Training Center, and the Texas Department of Public Safety. We did not identify any private firms 

offering a similar training program.

• Visited the Border Patrol Academy in Artesia, New Mexico, and observed training in progress, obtained training materials, and interviewed FLETC officials, the Chief of the Academy, and course managers.

• Interviewed the Chief of the Border Patrol, Assistant Commissioner for Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Office of Training and Development, and the Chief Patrol Agents and selected supervisory and new Border Patrol

agents, within the El Paso and Tucson sectors to obtain their views and concerns regarding training of new

agents. 
Page 11 GAO-07-540R Border Patrol Training 

5

Background

• FLETC is an interagency training provider responsible for basic, advanced, and specialized

training for approximately 82 federal agencies at four U.S. and five international locations.

• FLETC hosts the Border Patrol’s training academy in Artesia, New Mexico, and shares the 

training cost with the Border Patrol.

• FLETC provides the facilities, some instructors (e.g., retired border patrol agents), and 

services (e.g., laundry and infirmary).

• CBP’s Office of Training and Development designs the training curriculum (in conjunction

with the Border Patrol and with input from FLETC), administers the Border Patrol Academy, 

and provides permanent instructors and staff.

• In July 2005, the Border Patrol launched a national recruiting campaign to increase its ranks by

an additional 6,000 new Border Patrol agents by the end of December 2008.

• All new agents are deployed along the southwest border while the Border Patrol plans to

reassign up to 1,000 experienced agents to the northern border.
Page 12 GAO-07-540R Border Patrol Training 

6

Background

Projected number of Border Patrol agents
Page 13 GAO-07-540R Border Patrol Training 

7

Background

Projected Number of Border Agents in the Southwest Sectors, End of Fiscal Years 2006–2008 and First Quarter 2009
Page 14 GAO-07-540R Border Patrol Training 

8

Basic Border Patrol Agent training at the Border Patrol Academy in Artesia,

New Mexico

Length

• 16.2 weeks or 81 days

• Trainees on a 5-day/week schedule

Content

• Consists of 663 curriculum hours in six subject areas:

• Spanish–214 hours

• Law/operations–199 hours

• Physical training–125 hours

• Driving training–44 hours

• Firearms training–67 hours

• FLETC general training and administrative–14 hours

Background
Page 15 GAO-07-540R Border Patrol Training 

9

Academy Graduation Requirements

Spanish:

• Maintain a minimum cumulative average of 70% (consists of 10 vocabulary exams, 7 progress exams, 1 midterm exam, and 1 final exam).

Law/operations:

• Maintain a minimum cumulative average of 70% (consists of three operations and law exams).

Physical training:

• Successful completion of three timed events (long-distance run, sprint, obstacle course).

• Achieve a minimum score of 70% on the final exam.

• Achieve a minimum score of 80% in order to complete the pepper spray certification (includes exam, skills, and use 

of force).

Driving:

• Achieve a minimum score of 80% on three practical exercises including Emergency Response (high-speed), Utility/Van Operations (formerly known as nonemergency vehicle operations), and Skid Control. The 4x4 program is not tested.

Firearms:

• Achieve a minimum score of 70% in the handgun and shotgun courses of fire.

• Achieve a score of 100% in the Judgment Pistol Shooting course.

Over the past 3 years, about 73 percent of those entering the academy have graduated.

Background
Page 16 GAO-07-540R Border Patrol Training 

10

Background

Postacademy and Field Training

• After graduating from the academy, new Border Patrol

agents are required to attend classroom instruction at their

respective sectors in Spanish and law/operations 1 day a 

week for a total of 20 weeks.

• New agents are also required to pass two probationary

exams (the 7- and 10-month exams) administered in the 

sectors.

• New agents are generally assigned to a field training unit, 

led by at least one senior agent, for on-the-job training.
Page 17 GAO-07-540R Border Patrol Training 

11

Border Patrol’s Basic Training Program Contains the

Attributes of an Effective Training Program

• In March 2004, GAO issued a guide for assessing federal training programs. GAO, Human Capital: A

Guide for Assessing Strategic Training and Development Efforts in the Federal Government, GAO-04- 546G (Washington, D.C.: March 2004).

• The guide summarizes attributes of effective training and development programs and presents related 

questions concerning the components of the training and development process. 

• Four broad components: (1) planning/front-end analysis, (2) design/development, (3) implementation, and (4) evaluation

• Thirty-two key questions to consider when assessing the four components

• Indicators related to each key question

• Indicators serve as guides for assessment and do not constitute a complete or mandatory “set” of indicators needed in response to each question.

• For example, under design/development, a key question is “How well does the agency incorporate measures of effectiveness into courses it designs?” The guide suggests looking for 

indicators, such as

• clear linkages between specific learning objectives and organizational results, and

• well-written learning objectives that are unambiguous, achievable, and measurable.
Page 18 GAO-07-540R Border Patrol Training 

12

Border Patrol’s Basic Training Program Contains the

Attributes of an Effective Training Program
Page 19 GAO-07-540R Border Patrol Training 

13

Border Patrol’s Basic Training Program Contains the

Attributes of an Effective Training Program
Page 20 GAO-07-540R Border Patrol Training 

14

Border Patrol’s Basic Training Program Contains the

Attributes of an Effective Training Program

• The Border Patrol has changed its core curriculum for basic 

training very little since 2001, but has added new classes:

• Anti-terrorism course–overview of terrorist groups, responding to 

terrorism, weapons of mass effect, and personal radiation detector

(PRD) training.

• Practical field exercises–simulate situations involving a PRD alert, 

or where agents might encounter surface-to-air missiles, biological 

weapons, and improvised explosive devices (IED).

• The Border Patrol is pursuing accreditation of its training 

program from the Federal Law Enforcement Training Accreditation organization.
Page 21 GAO-07-540R Border Patrol Training 

15

Concerns Regarding Training

Border Patrol officials have some concerns regarding the 

uniformity of field training.

y Field training is not consistent from one sector to 

another and therefore there is no assurance that all 

new trainees receive consistent postacademy field 

training.

y The Border Patrol is in the process of developing a uniform nationwide field training program for sectors to

use.
Page 22 GAO-07-540R Border Patrol Training 

16

Concerns Regarding Training

Border Patrol officials expressed concern about having a sufficient number of

experienced journeyman agents and first-line supervisors to train and supervise

new agents.

y The sectors will need more experienced journeyman agents to serve as field

training officers to train the anticipated large influx of new agents.

y The sectors will also need more first-line supervisors to provide adequate 

supervision to new agents.

• The desired agent-to-supervisor ratios vary among the sectors and work

units within sectors depending on the mix of experienced and new agents

as well as the special tasks assigned to the work unit.

• As of October 2006, sectorwide agent-to-supervisor ratios for sectors

along the southwest border ranged from about 7 to 1 (Laredo) to 11 to 1

(El Paso).

• As new agents are hired over the next 2 years, the sectors will be

challenged to maintain the desired ratio of 5 new agents to 1 supervisor.
Page 23 GAO-07-540R Border Patrol Training 

17

Cost to Train a New Agent

• For fiscal year 2007, CBP budgeted $187,744 to bring on each new Border Patrol agent.
Page 24 GAO-07-540R Border Patrol Training 

18

Cost to Train a New Agent

The total average cost to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for training a

new Border Patrol agent at the academy was about $14,700 for fiscal year 2006.
Page 25 GAO-07-540R Border Patrol Training 

19

Border Patrol Basic Training Compared to Similar Selected

Federal and non-Federal Law Enforcement Programs
Page 26 GAO-07-540R Border Patrol Training 

20

Border Patrol’s Plans to Improve Efficiency of

Basic Training

y Use of proficiency tests for Spanish

• reduces time at the academy by about 30 days and

• could apply to about half of all trainees

y Moving to computer-based postacademy training

• allows trainees to train at their duty stations rather than

traveling to the sector headquarters and

• reduces number of instructors needed at the sector

y Considering shifting more training from the academy to

postacademy and field training, which may reduce the amount of 

time trainees spend at the academy
Page 27 GAO-07-540R Border Patrol Training 

21

Trade-offs and Challenges

The Border Patrol’s plans for improving the efficiency of its

basic training program may involve trade-offs and challenges to

overcome.

• At the academy, native Spanish speakers sometimes help nonnative speakers learn the language, enhancing esprit de corps.

Splitting native and non-native Spanish speakers through 

proficiency testing could negatively affect esprit de corps.

• Officials are concerned with the sectors’ ability to train and 

supervise the large number of new agents the Border Patrol

anticipates hiring over the next 2 years.
Page 28 GAO-07-540R Border Patrol Training 

22

Trade-offs and Challenges

• Another challenge for CBP will be to realize a net gain of about 6,000 agents over approximately the next 2

years (by the end of December 2008, the first quarter of fiscal year 2009). 

• Over the next 3 fiscal years, the Border Patrol plans to increase its number of agents by almost as much as it 

did over the previous 10 years.
Page 29 GAO-07-540R Border Patrol Training 

23

Concluding Observations

• The average cost of training a new Border Patrol agent is in 

line with that of other similar federal and non-federal law 

enforcement training programs. 

• Plans for proficiency testing and shifting some training from 

the academy to the sectors would allow the Border Patrol to

put new agents on the job more quickly, but there are 

concerns.

• It will be a challenge for sectors along the southwest border

to absorb and provide adequate field training and supervision 

to large numbers of new agents.
Page 30 GAO-07-540R Border Patrol Training 

Enclosure II: Comments from the 

Department of Homeland Security 
Page 31 GAO-07-540R Border Patrol Training 
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