CBP officer

[TripleD]

Congrats payniel!

How is pay and retirement benefits with Orange County compared with CBP? Also, if you have your heart set on patrol work, or proactive type policing you should just stick with OC.

[payniel]

Pay starts about at about the gs-7 level(39k), and retirement isnt too bad as far as I know. They use the florida retirement system, which can either be a pension fund, or an investment fund depending on which you choose. Pension takes 8 years to vest into, and is calculated similarly to FERS(top 3 x years of service x %). I only did a precursory look at it, and I dont know much detailed, but from what Ive heard its not bad. Biggest problem is that pay is static unless there is an overall pay increase, or you advance in rank( there is no automatic advancement ladder). Take home cars are issued and lots of OT time with various places.

As for the patrol work, my mind is not set on either, as they both have their uses and are both law enforcement, but I think I would enjoy either and am prepared for either. I plan on using this as a starting place for my career anyways, I dont plan on having exactly the same job in 5 years. Hopefully FBI, HSI or Marshals, or at least some type of leadership.

[StoneFace]

Hey guys, just wanted to let you all know that I got sponsored from my local sheriffs office today. I wont actually be starting until june sometime, so unless cbp offers somewhere real nice Ill be here in sunny florida.

Congratulations! That is really awesome. Purely hypothetical question here (you've probably already mulled over this scenario), if CBP offers you SYS after June, what will you do? If I recall correctly, I think that is the port you were holding out for. I apologize if I recall incorrectly.

Again, it's fantastic news. The terrific part about this is neither job holds more preference over the other, so your decision is relatively easy.

[payniel]

Well, It would be a very interesting decisions if that were to happen, and I dont really know what I would do if they offered SYS. A really big reason i did take the first offer was my fiance, so it would really depend on lots of things at the time. I would probably lean towards not taking it if I was already starting the academy. CBP will be here for some time to come, and if I wanted to I could always apply again when the next wave of hiring begins in 2014, since almost all signs point to substantially increasing cbp's officer count. Afterall, my test and stuff, as well as background and poly would still be good.

[Rms16]

Hey guys, just wanted to let you all know that I got sponsored from my local sheriffs office today. I wont actually be starting until june sometime, so unless cbp offers somewhere real nice Ill be here in sunny florida.

That's great news Payniel! I don't know what I'd do in your shoes. Hard decision to make. It sounds like with your fiancé in the picture you guys would prefer to stay in Florida or maybe it would be easier to stay. Either way great to hear you got a job offer!

[Pointman8]

Very happy for you Payniel. Hope you make the best decision for you and you're family. You're in a good place right now, lol.

[a_cab]

First time poster,
I would like o begin by thanking you all for all the information you share, it is very helpful.

I applied in August, Previous test scores were used, got my tsl in feb, did my fitness, medical and vbt/si in April, I submitted e-quip on the 10th of May, and they just confirmed they received it and that my BI will begin.

Just wondering if this is when the process gets slow?

[albert7]

First time poster,
I would like o begin by thanking you all for all the information you share, it is very helpful.

I applied in August, Previous test scores were used, got my tsl in feb, did my fitness, medical and vbt/si in April, I submitted e-quip on the 10th of May, and they just confirmed they received it and that my BI will begin.

Just wondering if this is when the process gets slow?

You are exactly right.

[Natedog36]

First time poster too,

I also received my TSL in Feb. I've passed the fitness test with no problem and my VBT/SI. I received an email requesting additional medical information because of my dizziness. I told the lady that did my medical that if i get up really quick in the morning i get slightly dizzy since it was a question on the packet and i didn't want to lie. Anyways, now i went to the doctor and he signed everything and passed me. I never got a neurological exam i hope that doesn't screw me. I sent the packet of info back. They FWD it for review. The guy told me it could take 6 weeks. Does the halt other hiring processes from going on? Like do i have to wait till I'm cleared for a background investigation to start up?

[TripleD]

Does the halt other hiring processes from going on? Like do i have to wait till I'm cleared for a background investigation to start up?

Welcome Nate, a_cab,

Nate: the quick answer is yes, the meat of your background will not begin until the medical issue is cleared up. The reason being is that the SSBI (background) is the single most expensive part in the hiring process, and they will not commit the money for it until you're cleared medically. Going forward MOST (everything changes) applicants will see the ploy before the bg. The poly is much cheaper and it is weeding people out at a high rate.

[a_cab]

You are exactly right.

Thanks, after reading you all for a while I knew it. I just needed to read it and get on patient mode.

[StoneFace]

Well, It would be a very interesting decisions if that were to happen, and I dont really know what I would do if they offered SYS. A really big reason i did take the first offer was my fiance, so it would really depend on lots of things at the time. I would probably lean towards not taking it if I was already starting the academy. CBP will be here for some time to come, and if I wanted to I could always apply again when the next wave of hiring begins in 2014, since almost all signs point to substantially increasing cbp's officer count. Afterall, my test and stuff, as well as background and poly would still be good.

Yah, I was a silent observer back then when you were offered Fabens and had to defer at the risk of losing your lady. Us females can be such a challenge, eh? I'm kidding! I'm kidding!

It would appear as though you've got a fair amount of good reasoning that will help you to sort out the proper decision in the end. I think it's really fantastic that if you gave the Sheriff's job a shot and you don't fancy it as much then you've still got CBP as an option. As Pointman said, you are in good place right now. My option is CBP or Corporate America. I would rather google the nearest bridge and free fall (well not quite literally, but you get the idea) than go back to Corporate America! Also, just a bit of clarification for anyone thinking I've missed the gravity of your quandry...when I said your non-preference of either job would make your decision relatively easier...what I meant was you wouldn't feel as though you've passed up a great opportunity with one job while capitalizing on the other job, so to speak.

[StoneFace]

Thanks, after reading you all for a while I knew it. I just needed to read it and get on patient mode.

Congratulations on making it this far in your process. You are very fortunate to have had 4 months of rapid fire on your file, not a lot of people can say that. Consider yourself lucky and yah...a little patience goes a long way from here on out. As a few posters said recently...keep yourself occupied and try not to dwell too much on the next phase as it will make time seem slower than molasses rolling down hill. Best of luck to you.

[Shorttie]

First time poster too,

I also received my TSL in Feb. I've passed the fitness test with no problem and my VBT/SI. I received an email requesting additional medical information because of my dizziness. I told the lady that did my medical that if i get up really quick in the morning i get slightly dizzy since it was a question on the packet and i didn't want to lie. Anyways, now i went to the doctor and he signed everything and passed me. I never got a neurological exam i hope that doesn't screw me. I sent the packet of info back. They FWD it for review. The guy told me it could take 6 weeks. Does the halt other hiring processes from going on? Like do i have to wait till I'm cleared for a background investigation to start up?

I don't think the medical review takes 6 weeks. I have herd that it take 3 weeks max from others on this form. Yet, I could be wrong. Get an opinion from others on this form about that 6 week waiting period.

[merlin436]

4GodnCountry, thanks for the clarity. How does overtime work if you are doing overtime for a overnight shift? Lets say a 10-6 am shift. Do you get paid the regular double time since its overtime or do you get paid the double time along with the 20% overnight differential as well. Hope the question makes since, lol. Thanks in advance.

Oh, also for the Sunday pay. Are you saying that if your regular scheduled day of work is on Sunday that you get regular pay for that day or do you get time and a half for that do no matter if its your work day or not?

As a rule of thumb...

You cannot "double-dip" premiums/differentials. You'll get only the highest rate you are entitled to. Overtime is paid at 2X base pay. Holiday pay is 100% diffferential. Sundays that are not holidays are paid at 50% differential. "Midnight" shifts that are neither on holidays nor Sundays see 20% differential, etc.

Your 2200-0600 example is an interesting one. I've never worked that particular shift.
My guess...most of those shifts would be paid at 20% differential since the majority of the work hours fall within "midnight shift" hours. Where it probably gets tricky is those 2200-0600 shifts that fall on Sundays and holidays. I'm guessing those particular shifts see the either the 50% or 100% differential for the hours worked on the Sunday/holiday...and 20% differential for those hours worked otherwise.

As far as Sundays go...it used to be 'common' to have ports work the scheduling so that '100%' of the people were scheduled with Sundays off. It was actually an INS rule back then that Immigration Inspectors were never regularly scheduled on Sundays. In a practical sense, that meant that everyone there working on Sundays was working overtime...of one sort or another.
These days, most if not all ports schedule Sundays as regularly workdays. People are either are working Sundays on regularly scheduled shifts at 50% differential Sunday differential, 100% holiday differential...or overtime at 2X base pay.