CBP officer

[ontherunn]

I know i shouldn't be talking since others have been in the process way longer than me, but its been 7 months since SI and not a word about the polygraph. What frustrates me to no end is how I've been seeing people on here who just took the exam 4 months ago and already are done with the process. Insanity.

[Evolution81]

gs9s do not go quicker took me from 9/17 to 3/19 to get a job offer..i am a gs9 applicant..do not spread misinformation

[MrAce]

Well everyonenon here recently who have gotten the Polly quick are GS9s

[Evolution81]

the only ones that seem to be on a faster track are VRA applicants

[merlin436]

GS-09 applicants pretty much all are either going to be former federal employees or those with some extensive employment history. They might move faster simply because this isn't their first rodeo.

[Tremellio]

I just heard back from the Academy that my neck tattoos are not an issue. Of course, I just have to cover/conceal them in a dress uniform.
Still no news about my polygraph. Hopefully, no news is good news. lol

[d2ep]

Sup GUYS!! I got the call today for Newark, NJ EOD May 24th. Mad Excited!!!

[d2ep]

Hal29 I met my BI twice. Plus he went on vacation while he was reviewing my case. He even called me with an update saying he is on vacation and tomorrow when he comes back he will find out about my case and next day my BI turned green.

[CBPO.BPJ]

Congrats!! d2ep

[d2ep]

CBPO.BPJ thanks bro!

[xknuckles]

Congrats! What was your time frame going through process?

[rergang3]

The process is so strange when I look at other peoples. Got the tentative offer yesterday and I assumed the next step would be E-QIP, but nope, it's the SI in two weeks. Makes me wonder if they would be quicker if they didn't have everyone going about the process in a different order.

[Tremellio]

rergang3 It's never in the same order. Back in 2011, they started with my BI.

[Evolution81]

dont try to make sense of it just look through the thread

[rergang3]

Tremellio Yea I knew it wasn't. I just find it comical now that I'm in the actual process, but hey, I'm all for it.

Evolution81 oh I totally get that and I'm not trying to. Just a simple observation

[SmokeScreen07]

There is no rhyme or reason with any LEA hiring process. It's all about what they want you to do, and when they want it completed.

[Nousername1]

Hal29 hope to see your background clear soon. For me the longest stage in the process has been the BI so far.

[Hal29]

How long for you?

[Nousername1]

5 months since BI interview

[raudy06]

it will be 4 months for me on the 27 of this month.

[Hal29]

Ok, so when I talked to the recruiter they said opr last viewed my file on the 22nd. Is it normal that they would view then go weeks without viewing it? I know little about bi.

[Srhernza115]

Oh so you’re referring to your background investigator? I’m just a little confused seeing there’s recruiters listed on CASS.

[Hal29]

I has my recruiter put an inquiry in on my behalf. I took poly in may. Net my investigator in September. Case submitted on the 5th. Just trying to see what the hold up is. Process has been almost 19 months now. So I felt it was time to ask what was going on. But like always i can never get an answer or clarity. Just that my bi is ongoing and active.

[Srhernza115]

Oh ok. I haven’t been waiting that long but it’s been a few months too since my BI was submitted. I think you should be receiving adjudication here soon. It’s weird how fast things went by in the beginning and now it’s iust sit and wait.

[Hal29]

lets hope so.

[klocklear86]

Does anyone who has their EOD know if the OPM contacted their relatives about how the BI did his job? Just seeing where I'm at in the process...Havent spoke with my BI since Dec.

[jgabrielgonz]

My family members and co workers have received the same calls. Hopefully it’s a good sign that it’s been submitted. I haven’t spoken with my BI since December either.

[JStyleszx]

What is the average age applicants get hired at cbpo ? I just finished college with my bachelors & i’m currently 23 years old. I passed many local exams in NYC but damn , I feel like me being a cbpo is a longshot.. i’m too young & unexperienced. Lol

[merlin436]

You are neither too young or too inexperienced. Apply.

[merlin436]

Average age? Probably around late 20's-early 30's.

Historically, OFO used to hire lots of older, more experienced people in their late 30's, 40's, 50's and beyond. Once 12D retirement came into play in 2008, with it's "mandated" maximum hiring age, far fewer older people get hired these days.

23 is youngish...but not overly so. I have a coworker who was hired on in his late teens. He was so young his mom had to buy his pistol practice ammo for him.

[Benjamin.C]

Hey JStyleszx we're nearly in the same boat, I'm in NYC as well, but I just turned 24. Apply for everything.

[mobyfish]

I feel like getting employed with a job like this at 24 year old is perfect. You can work hard and make a lot of money (buy a house if you don’t already have one, save, etc) during the first few years then you can relax later on.

I’m 26 now and wish I knew about these opportunities sooner. But I guess everything happens for a reason and it just happens to be my time.

[CBPO.BPJ]

My progress so far. for CBPO (OFO) Announcement DH 18-6..

Applied for CBPO- 03/30/18
Exam- 4/3/2018
NOR- 4/12/18
Tentative Selection Letter- 4/20/18
Eqip Rejected- 5/2/18
Medical- 5/3/18
PFFT- 5/3/18
Eqip NOR to OPR- 5/4/18
PFFT Passed- 5/5/18
Medical Passed- 5/19/18
SI- 6/14/2018
SI Passed- 6/15/2018
Polygraph scheduled-11/9/18
Polygraph Verbally PASSED- 11/9/18
Retake Polygraph Scheduled for 1/7/2019- on 12/16/2018 but canceled due to shutdown
Rescheduled Polygraph on 2/26/2019- Scheduled for 3/4/2019
Polygraph canceled and rescheduled on 2/28/2019- Scheduled for 3/6/2019
Polygraph canceled and rescheduled on 3/1/2019- Scheduled for 3/8/2019
Polygraph Verbally PASSED and GUARANTEED 100% according to examiner as they stated they submitted my info- 3/8/2019
Polygraph Passed on CASS APP- 03/12/2019


CASS APP-63%

BI-In Progress
Drug-In Progress
Final Offer-Pending


My progress so far. for BPA Announcement DH 19-4

Applied for BPA- 01.27.2019
Completed Online Assessment- 01.27.2019
Entrance Exam Taken- 02.01.2019
NOR for Entrance Exam- 02.04.2019 (Passing Score 96%)
NOR & Notice of Referral- 02.13.2019
Tentative Selection- 02.13.2019 (Selected)
Accepted Tentative Job Offer- 02.14.2019
Completed Questionnaire- 02.14.2019
Signed PSR.1- 02.14.2019
SI Schedule on 03.11.2019 for- 04.8.2019
PFT.1 Scheduled Notice on 03.13.2019- N/A


CASS APP- 38%

Fitness Exam- In Progress
SI- In Progress
BI- In Progress
Drug- Pending
Final Offer-Pending

[dannyboy33]

^^ I am wondering the same thing when the BI will contact me. I took and passed the Poly in August and haven't been contacted by the BI yet.

[radsavage]

Why did you retake the polygraph when you passed it the first time? Also, why it take that long, did they ask a thousand questions? lol

[CBPO.BPJ]

radsavage I was told verbally that I passed it so when they sent the report to DC they just asked me to retake it. In regards to why it took so long on the second poly, they told me that while I was doing each session, they where immediately sending the report for that session to get it approved immediately. So after all was done and over with, they told me that it was not just verbally approved but also was completely sent to DC and approved on the spot. Therefore I did not have to worry about another retake.

[CBPO.BPJ]

dannyboy33 did they ask you to re-certify your E-QIP already?

[Oram3189]

At my SI, the BPA agents did say that the process was slowed down because of the shutdown but that it should be picking speed back up. He said the average hire time is 8 - 14 months and they are trying to get lower than that..... He did say it took him 20 months to be hired 8 years ago.


CBPO 19-1
CBPO (44%)
Eqip: done
PFT1: 11/08/2018
Medical: 10/30/2018
SI: 12/11/2018
Poly: not scheduled

BPA 19-1
BPA (44%):
Eqip: done
PFT1: 11/08/2018
Medical: 10/30/2018
SI: 03/05/2019
Poly: not scheduled

MIA (waiting on referral)

So does the progress from cbpo cross over to BPA? I'm 50% with 2 cbpo applications. Just took the BPA exam and got my NORs. Wondering if I have to do a whole new pft1, medical and SI.

[CBPO.BPJ]

Everything transfers over except the physical and the SI

[Talonderiel]

As CBPO.BPJ said! I'm just waiting on the Poly, which applies to both too. Good luck on your apps!

[rergang3]

So is it the consensus that entering under a provisional clearance is a bad idea? Even if I had nothing to hide and everything was on paper (no felonies, drug use, etc.), what would be a reason to fail the BI? I understand this might be a stupid question

[douglasgene1]

send a email to youre case manager, they will reset it for you

[merlin436]

Generally, conventional wisdom has it that applying for a provisional clearance makes sense if...

You are convinced that there are no skeletons in your closet and the closets of your immediate family...If you're all squeaky clean there ought not to be issues.
Or, if you might have issues but you are in an easily replaceable job...If CBP turns out to be a bust you can always go back to doing what you did before.
Or you have no job at all...Then a few months working in CBP is better than having no job and no money.

Generally, conventional wisdom suggest that declining a provisional clearance is better if you...

Know that you have issues that may come up...
Already have a decent job with good pay...You might as well stay put in a guaranteed decent job until you have fully vetted clearance.

[rergang3]

douglasgene1 Issue was they had my last name along with my prefix (III) so once I added that, it was all set.

merlin436 well I'm also in the process for TSA which will be a little quicker so I'm not sure. I got nothing to hide so screw it

[merlin436]

As long as you are comfortable rolling the dice on yourself, your family and your initial employment costs...good luck with it.

[MrAce]

Someone just asked a similar question above, but for the background I got terminated from a job about 4 years ago for allegedly saying profanity and horrible things at work which I did not do. Fast forward a month later the store manager got fired for money laundering and a year later the guy that said those things about me got arresting for frauding a charity... he’s a manipulative scam artist.. is that somthing they’ll take into account during the background... because if they go off what the store said it makes me look really bad.

[douglasgene1]

I carry 2 sets, 1 regular, 1 hinged (wrist breakers) i love them for the guys that always try to resist. They arent meant for everyone, they can do great thing...but terrible things if you twerk them to hard.

[Hal29]

I 2nd that. We got rid of them for thar reason. To many injuries but worked well for thise who try to fight it. I guess I stopped liking them when I was in a restraint and the other co froze and was chicken ****, so I was I the restraint alone and got smacked right up side the head. Which then turned into a hard hip toss and an arm bar till I could get assistance....lol. Im not the biggest guy at 5'5 inches but thankfully I am strong...lol.

[merlin436]

Currently, both hinges and chain cuffs are on the authorized equipment list. I believe the current standard issue is the SW model 100 chain cuffs but if your willing to buy your own, carry anything approved.

[douglasgene1]

gotta love good ol SW, i have 2 sets myself hinge and cain. never a problem

[Benjamin.C]

Hello, about how long after receiving a verbal pass on the physical did you see a green check mark in Cass? I'm stil sitting at 0% after having done that and the medical.

[Anthony_525]

How long has it been?

[Benjamin.C]

For the medical just over a month, the physical was only 2 days ago.

[Benjamin.C]

My physical just cleared today, I'm sitting at 13%.:


GS-9 19-3:

Applied-12/30/18
Exam-Exempt (GS-9)
NOR-2/06/19
Tentative Selection Letter-2/7/19
E-quip Self-reject & re-submit-2/15/19
E-quip pending review-2/19/19 
Medical-2/20/19 (additional review for back 2/22/19, no update) 
Polygraph Reciprocity released to OPR-2/21/19
PFT-3/12/19 - verbal pass
PFT-3/18/19-CASS greenlit

[bonds525]

Would anyone know if these are ok for academy? My buddy wears them as a cop and says they’re super comfortable

[Evolution81]

Tell me how do you win a pursuit?!.....Bates Gx8 nuff said...ive worn them for years during rough duty

[Hal29]

Oh snap son.

[Jones415]

I would say they are totally fine. As long as toe is polishable.

[merlin436]

The actual uniform policy on boots is rather vague. The academy's views on footwear are far more discriminating than that of the field. If it was me, I'd pick up something conservative and polishable for the academy. Once a person is at the port, off training status and done with probation, then wear the UA's or whatever.

[pnw360]

Reached out to my local recruiter and he said they are averaging almost 300 days with the hiring process. I'm 19-1, passed my SI the end of November and I'm still sitting at 50%.

[merlin436]

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sour...ZY8GwLcKvViQVd

318 days in FY17...if you're counting.

[V_AntCBP]

merlin436 Did you read the report... personally, I feel the numbers they provided on the report are all bogus... especially hiring process duration, poly waiting days... Particularly they said poly waiting "average" for CBPO is 74 days but I've seen many people had waited 6-7-8 months to be scheduled, if not longer. I'm in a few group chat where we have 30-40 applications who have been waiting good 6-7 months for poly, I don't know how the heck they average it down to 74 days.... then they stated the average time for background investigation is 63 days... another bogus... after poly, almost all people have to wait another 4 -6 months, in some cases, 8-10 months for background to clear... how the heck they average down to 63 days? just my thought and personal opinions,

[dannyboy33]

I am going on 15 months. Sooo buckle up!

[merlin436]

@V_AntCBP,

It's a mean average. Lots of mean averages in OFO really aren't that meaningful on the individual basis because they take in all the people on either extreme, mash them with the middle, and come up with a number which often doesn't reflect the usual, normal person all that well. It's like the mean average for overtime earnings, it takes the few earning cap waivers in excess of 45K, the thousands making at or near zero, and a whole bunch of people making whatever in between.

It is what it is.