The Naco, Arizona Border Patrol Station is located within the Tucson Border Patrol Sector in the town of Bisbee. Naco has been a border patrol area since 1924. Since 1989, the Naco Station has operated as an independent border patrol station, responsible for patrolling 1175 square miles of Cochise County and 32.5 miles of international boundary with Mexico. Those with border patrol jobs or U.S. customs careers in Naco are responsible for patrolling the following mountain ranges: Mule, Dragoon, Whetstone, and Huachuca; as well as the Coronado National Forest and its many canyons, and the San Pedro River.
Border Crimes in Naco, Arizona
From 2001 to 2003, according to the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Naco Station had the most apprehensions of illegal aliens attempting to enter the country of any border patrol station in the United States. Border patrol agents in Naco have also seized millions of dollars in illegal drugs trying to cross the border, as well as weapons and unreported money.
Border Crossings in Naco, Arizona
The Naco Port of Entry includes a Cargo Facility and Passenger Processing Facility. According to research by the University of Arizona, Naco sees a low number of northbound pedestrians crossing into the United States but a high number of passengers crossing the border into the U.S. in vehicles. Statistics that they have gathered are as follows:
- May 2003: Naco saw the highest number of passenger crossings, at 213,912
- 2004: There were over 2.2 million border crossings that year, making it the highest year on record for Naco
- 2009: Passenger crossings accounted for 89 percent of all northbound border crossings in Naco
- 2009: Naco accounted for 2.9 percent of all northbound border crossings in Arizona
Border Patrol Requirements and Job Titles in Naco, Arizona
The Naco Border Patrol Station is a busy border crossing between Mexico and the United States. Consequently, there are many border patrol jobs in Naco that continuously must be filled. While the expected jobs of Border Patrol Agent and CBP Officer are present at the Naco Station, there are other job titles that must be filled. They include:
- Canine Enforcement Program: These agents are Border Patrol Agents who have received special training in using dogs to sniff out drugs, goods, and persons who are trying to come into the U.S. illegally. For this job, candidates need to be a U.S. citizen, and have experience working with dog handling. (Specialized border patrol training may be provided by CBP upon hire if dog handling experience is not sufficient for the position). All candidates for this job must also pass a drug test, physical examination and background check, as well as physical fitness endurance tests.
- Import Specialist: This specialist is assigned with the task of inspecting each and every good that enters the United States through the port/station. The agent must appraise its value, categorize it, and decide if it may lawfully enter the U.S. In order to become an Import Specialist, one must be a U.S. citizen and resident; have a bachelor’s degree in business, economics or accounting; have three years of work experience; pass a background investigation; pass a drug test; and complete about seven weeks of training in imports/exports, trade agreements, etc.