Border Patrol jobs in Jackman, Maine include Border Patrol Agents and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officers. Because of the the rough surrounding terrain Border Patrol Agents at times use horses on their patrols. The main duties at the Jackman station include inspecting pedestrians as well as passenger and commercial vehicles for illegal drugs and weapons, while making sure everyone who crosses the border has proper documentation. In addition, Border Patrol Agents have the responsibility of patrolling the 103 miles of international border line extending from the Jackman station. Agents also assist in search-and-rescue operations as well as local operations in the nearby town of Jackman.
“Accidental” Drug Trafficking in Jackman
The Jackman facility is a relatively new, state-of-the-art facility, opened to agents in 2006 and built with the intention to accommodate a growing number of Border Patrol jobs in Jackman. One thing CBP Officers must pay attention to are legal drugs coming from Canada to the U.S. Some derivatives of substances such as opiates are legal over-the-counter in Canada but either illegal or only available with a prescription in the United States. In 2010 CBP Officers cited a woman from Quebec with a court summons for possessing a controlled substance when she tried to cross the border with a form of the prescription drug Dilaudid.
Border Patrol Jobs in Jackman: Mounted Border Patrol Agent
Careers as a Mounted Agent begin with first qualifying for a career as a general Border Patrol Agent. Once this step is complete the agent may volunteer to be considered for Mounted Agent training and participation. It is an advantage if volunteers have previous experience handling horses, but not a requirement. It is no longer a requirement that agents supply their own horses, as it was in the early days of the Border Patrol over a century ago. Mounted Patrols offer several advantages to the Border Patrol including
- Horses are strong with good endurance, able to cross terrain other vehicles cannot
- Horses can use their exceptional sense of hearing and smell to alert agents to a human presence
- Those who cross the border illegally often are not expecting horses and therefore are startled
- Horses do not make as much noise as vehicles and can therefore surprise those breaking the law