CBP officer

[jflores]

ok so......waht would happen if you weren't in uniform and someone committed a crime in which you were a witness to but didn't take action because you weren't in uniform. when they interview you, wouldn't it look really bad that you are in fact, a Federal LEO and didn't interfere because you weren't in uniform?.. i mean why else give CBPO's authority to carry a concealed weapon?......

[barnaj]

ok so......waht would happen if you weren't in uniform and someone committed a crime in which you were a witness to but didn't take action because you weren't in uniform. when they interview you, wouldn't it look really bad that you are in fact, a Federal LEO and didn't interfere because you weren't in uniform?.. i mean why else give CBPO's authority to carry a concealed weapon?......

Well that can be tricky, it depends. First off, if I wasn't carrying I dont think i'd try to go all Steven Seagal and stuff. I mean while off duty youre wearing nothing obviously identifying you as a LEO and more than likely wont be carrying. And as far as the 24 hour carry goes, you can only use your sidearm if you feel you or your loved one's lives are in danger. Of course you can always spin an armed robbery 10 feet away from you as your feeling of endangerment.

[jflores]

Well that can be tricky, it depends. First off, if I wasn't carrying I dont think i'd try to go all Steven Seagal and stuff. I mean while off duty youre wearing nothing obviously identifying you as a LEO and more than likely wont be carrying. And as far as the 24 hour carry goes, you can only use your sidearm if you feel you or your loved one's lives are in danger. Of course you can always spin an armed robbery 10 feet away from you as your feeling of endangerment.

You say CBPO's carry no identification....do you mean they don't give badges to carry?...i'm just asking, this is good info so i won't look like an *** if i ever get "the CALL" and ask in the academy lol.

[qixfeet]

ok so......waht would happen if you weren't in uniform and someone committed a crime in which you were a witness to but didn't take action because you weren't in uniform. when they interview you, wouldn't it look really bad that you are in fact, a Federal LEO and didn't interfere because you weren't in uniform?.. i mean why else give CBPO's authority to carry a concealed weapon?......

If I'm not in uniform and it is not a life or death situation I will be a good witness. I don't wear a vest off duty so a shootout with someone who just knocked off a soda machine is out of the question. You have to gage the situation for yourself. If you wanna fight street crime join a local PD. I personally don't want to run the risk of being mis identified by the good guys when they show up when it was a situation I could've been a good witness and let them catch the guy later. You have the authority to carry consealed for your protection and the protection of fellow officers.

[jflores]

thanks qixfeet

[Bizzy930]

The truth of the matter is, it is your responsibility to help out, especially while in uniform. Civilians can make citizens arrest and detain people while waiting for local LE to respond. Couldnt imagine having a security camera video of a 7-11 robbery appear on the 11 oclock news, and there i was in the background in uniform hiding behind the doritos...

HAHA, that's pretty funny. Met up with my BI yesterday to fill out one last paper work as he prepares to submit it. He said I shouldn't have a problem.
Anyhow, I had to break the news to my current employer a few days ago, my boss seems more sad then anything. I wanted to take him out for a couple round of beers before letting him know about my departure. I'm gonna miss my current work, but moving on to bigger and better things!

[qixfeet]

You say CBPO's carry no identification....do you mean they don't give badges to carry?...i'm just asking, this is good info so i won't look like an *** if i ever get "the CALL" and ask in the academy lol.

yes we have a badge and creds, but if I walk into a situation with an armed person and they are not in uniformed the first thing I key in on is the gun. Feel me? How many times do we see the headline "off duty officer shot by police"

[qixfeet]

thanks qixfeet

no prob. don't worry, you'll get all the speaches in the academy.

[barnaj]

You say CBPO's carry no identification....do you mean they don't give badges to carry?...i'm just asking, this is good info so i won't look like an *** if i ever get "the CALL" and ask in the academy lol.

No, i just meant if you're off duty and you're out and about, you're gonna be wearing clothes that say adidas or levi's or columbia, not CBP officer.

[barnaj]

HAHA, that's pretty funny. Met up with my BI yesterday to fill out one last paper work as he prepares to submit it. He said I shouldn't have a problem.
Anyhow, I had to break the news to my current employer a few days ago, my boss seems more sad then anything. I wanted to take him out for a couple round of beers before letting him know about my departure. I'm gonna miss my current work, but moving on to bigger and better things!

Damn bro, just noticed your timeline. Not even 3 months to hire? Is your dad a port director or the boss of MHC or something!?

[Bizzy930]

Damn bro, just noticed your timeline. Not even 3 months to hire? Is your dad a port director or the boss of MHC or something!?

Man I wished so I wouldn't have to take that five hour long written exam. I swear I was so hungry by the third hour, I nearly passed out. Those math questions didn't help either. My friend is now a CPO out of SFO and it took him a year to get the call. He had prior TSA experience. I considered myself very fortunate but at the same time, keeping my fingers cross. Since I've started applying for LE, I learned that anything can happen anywhere, anytime.

[merlin436]

Lets put things this way...

CBPO's are LEO's who in many locations and circumstances are relegated into doing limited 'LEO' duties. CBPO's have very broad arrest authority which is limited in many locations and under many circumstances by restrictive local, regional, and national policies.

As far as 'off-duty LEOing' goes, Uncle Sugar is paying you for your ON-DUTY work, not to go around playing "Superman" off-duty. If you decide to get involved in something off-duty, you'd better be 100% in the right and you'd better not have any reasonable alternatives other than inserting yourself into whatever the mess is.

Keep in mind too that new hires are on 2-year probation and that plenty of probation guys have been fired for interjecting themselves into off-duty situations where CBP disagrees. There's a guy on this board(Kingsman) who got canned while on probation at least in part because of off-duty LEOing. Being a good witness on the otherhand won't cost you your job.

[jflores]

Great input everyone.....thanks. BTW this forums rocks!

[cross.sandiego]

Ok, Ok, kill all that. Lets talk CBP fur hats. Who's gettin one. Merlin, Cross, CTRT... I know you guys are checkin in out! Well maybe not Merlin. I bet he already got his.

Yeah, I was checking the hat but I just can't see me using it enough here in SD where it'll probably be sunny and 70 degrees on Christmas day. Maybe the shorts and CBP t-shirts...

[merlin436]

With all the blood-lust on here for fur, prepare for the heros from PETA and ALF/ELF to be out picketing your port, attacking the mouton farms and pushing Congress for mouton protection legislation.

Thousands of moutons die every year, sacrificed by CBP because of the cold-hearted indifference of CBPO's.

Give me a hat made of animal-free, synthetic, polluting petrochemicals over mouton fur any day!

Save the mouton!