Border Patrol Safety

Border Patrol agents face dangers every day. Just like any other type of law enforcement officer, they put their life on the line for the good of our country.

In areas such as southwest New Mexico, agents have to worry about traffickers, border crossers, wild life, weather, and more.

A Little About Them:
A Border Patrol Agent typically works alone. Horseback and ATV agents, however, work in pairs. They can work for 10+ hours and never see another person or even animal wild life for that matter. In general, it’s a much slower paced working environment and much more solitary than other working spaces. The distances to patrol are much broader in scope than traditional agents working suburban areas.

Disturbance of the Earth:
Agents look for anything out of the ordinary, especially changes to the appearance of the desert ground. Border crossers and smugglers sometimes try to cover their tracks, but the disturbance of the dirt is a red flag. A trail of disturbed earth often leads to footprints.

The Desert is Unforgiving
In an unforgiving environment, how do agents stay safe? They might be tracking a group of people (at night), and have to worry about snakes, coyotes, even the weather. One can’t control the climate of the desert, nor the temperatures. They are highly skilled, trained, and well prepared to face whatever comes their way. They are always on guard and always in communication with the nearest headquarters.

Make no mistake about it – this job is dangerous, and Agents are always on alert. Thank goodness they have our back!

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