Border Patrol: Costs and Challenges Related to Training New Agents
Released: 2007-06-19T00:00:00

Letter

Background

The U.S. Border Patrol, within the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) U.S. Customs and Border Protection (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. 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. As shown in figure 1, this increase is nearly equivalent to the number of agents gained over the past 10 years. In addition, legislation has been proposed in Congress that would authorize an additional 10,000 agents, potentially increasing the size of the Border Patrol to about 28,000 agents by the end of 2012.

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.

The Border Patrol’s Basic Training Program Exhibits Attributes of an Effective Training Program

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. As shown in table 1, the Border Patrol was able to document that its training program had key indicators in place for the applicable attributes of an effective training program.

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. For example, the Border Patrol added an antiterrorism course that covers, among other things, what actions agents should take if they encounter what they believe to be a weapon of mass destruction or an improvised explosive device. The Border Patrol also incorporated practical field exercises that simulate a variety of situations that agents may encounter, such as arresting an individual who is armed with a weapon, as shown in figure 2. With regard to capacity, Border Patrol officials told us they are confident that the academy can accommodate the large influx of new trainees anticipated over the next 2 years.

The Average Cost to Train a New Border Patrol Agent in Fiscal Year 2006 Was About $14,700 and Was Comparable to Those of Other Federal and Nonfederal Law Enforcement Training Programs

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. (See table 2.) 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.

For fiscal year 2007, the average cost to train a new agent will increase to about $16,200. This is primarily due to an increase in the number of instructors hired, which increased CBP’s instructor costs from about $2,800 to $6,100 per student.

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 a BIA police officer was about $15,300; an Arizona state police officer, $15,600; and a Texas state trooper, $14,700. 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 investigative techniques, while BIA, Arizona, and Texas require 139, 50, and 165 hours of such instruction, respectively. Table 3 shows a comparison of Border Patrol’s basic training program with other federal and nonfederal law enforcement basic training programs.

Plans under Consideration to Improve Basic Training Efficiency May Present Challenges

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, in October 2007 the Border Patrol plans to implement a proficiency test for Spanish that should 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 beginning in October 2007, 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.

While these strategies may improve the efficiency of training at the academy, officials expressed concern about the sectors’ ability provide adequate supervision and continued training once the new agents arrive at the sectors. Some Border Patrol officials are concerned with having enough experienced agents available in the sectors to serve as first-line supervisors and field training officers for these new agents. According to the Chief of the Border Patrol, agencywide the average experience level of Border Patrol agents is about 4 or 5 years of service. However, in certain southwest border sectors the average experience level is only about 18 months. Moreover, the supervisor-to-agent ratio is higher than the agency would like in some southwest sectors. Border Patrol 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. To augment the supervision of new agents, the Border Patrol is considering using retired Border Patrol agents to act as mentors for new agents. Nevertheless, 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 to serve as supervisors and field training officers, 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 currently receive consistent postacademy field training. Moreover, the addition of new training expectations may complicate this situation. The Border Patrol is in the process of developing a uniform field training program that it plans to implement beginning in fiscal year 2008.

Concluding Observations

While Border Patrol officials are confident that the academy can accommodate the large influx of new trainees anticipated over the next 2 years, the larger challenge will be the sectors’ capacity to provide adequate supervision and training. The rapid addition of new agents along the southwest border, coupled with the planned transfer of more experienced agents to the northern border, will likely reduce the overall experience level of agents assigned to the southwest border. In turn, the Border Patrol will be faced with relying on a higher proportion of less seasoned agents to supervise these new agents. In addition, the possible shifting of some training from the academy to the sectors could increase demand for experienced agents to serve as field training officers. Moreover, without a standardized field training program, training has not been consistent from sector to sector, a fact that has implications for the sectors’ ability to add new training requirements and possibly consequences for how well agents will 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 sufficient number of field training officers and a standardized field training program.

Mr. Chairman, this completes my prepared statement. I would be happy to respond to any questions you or other members of the subommittee may have at this time.

GAO Contact and Staff Acknowledgments

For further information about this testimony, please contact me at (202) 512-8816 or by e-mail at Stanar@gao.gov. Key contributors to this testimony were Michael Dino, Assistant Director; Mark Abraham; E. Jerry Seigler; and Julie Silvers. Contact points for our Offices of Congressional Relations and Public Affairs may be found on the last page of this testimony.

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