The officers in this class were part-time and “other-than-permanent” frontline staff whom CBP and its legacy agencies have used over the years to supplement the permanent officer corps. Thus, these students were training for a job they had been already performing, in many cases for several years. Although some had completed a six-week course for temporary hires when they started, others had received no formal training.

The differing levels of experience and training within the class, and the fact that all the officers already had frontline experience, presented a rich, challenging training experience for both instructors and students. CBP Supervisory Officer Tony Torres, one of the instructors who oversee every aspect of a particular class from the day students arrive until they graduate, found the students’ cumulative experience very helpful. “It made classes easier on the instructors,” Torres explained, “because you have real-life examples coming from the students, which helped us all along the way.”

Art Morgan, the academy’s director, explained that while this class received the exact same training as newly hired officers, the staff recognized the skill levels they all brought to the table. “We greatly respect the many years these officers have dedicated to protecting our homeland and the distinct experience they bring to the training environment. We promised to give them the best possible education here so they can develop themselves into even better officers than they already were.”

“They brought a wealth of experience into the classroom environment. It is encouraging to see the level of commitment these officers displayed,” CBP Supervisory Officer Joseph Trevathan, also an instructor, added.

Spreading expertise
CBP Officer Patricia O’Connor, who works at a pre-clearance station in Ireland, illustrates the variety found among students. O’Connor had only received on-the-job training at her home port and found the scholastic portion of the training easier than the physical-techniques and firearms training. “The gun and baton were new for me because we don’t carry them in Ireland. It was the first time I handled either of them. And handcuffing─they were all challenges for me to overcome.”

Another student, Officer Mikel Fiske, had worked part-time for more than nine summers at a port of entry in upper New York while teaching English at a local high school. Fiske said, “This was a real learning experience; it broadened my perspective on what other officers deal with because after you’ve been at a port for awhile, you get tunnel vision in certain areas. This made me more familiar with what goes on at other ports.”

The July 2005 class was the first of six experienced-officer classes that will be conducted at the academy. The last class is scheduled to graduate in February 2006.