Sweetgrass, Montana is strategically located on Interstate 15, a major transportation route connecting the United States and Canada. The Sweetgrass Port of Entry is the only twenty-four-hour port in the area, and serves three of the largest cities in Western Canada: Lethbridge, Calgary, and Edmonton (all in Alberta). All together, the busy Sweetgrass port handles an annual average of more than 980,000 people.
The Sweetgrass Border Patrol Station, located about seven miles south of the Sweetgrass Port of Entry, opened in a state-of-the-art, $26.5 million facility in July 2009. The 33,000-square-foot building is designed for fifty agents, and includes a helicopter pad (one of only two in Montana Border Patrol Stations), blast and ballistic rated windows, a fully outfitted exercise room, geothermal heat, and more. The station’s area of operations extends 59.5 miles along the border with Canada, and consists mostly of prairie land, hills, ravines, and rock ledges, which are the focus of patrol activity.
The Sweet grass Border Patrol Station is part of the Havre sector, which is responsible for more than 450 miles of border area between Montana and Canada, Wyoming, Colorado, Idaho, and Utah. During fiscal year 2011, the seven stations in this sector (Plentywood, Havre, Scobey, St. Mary, Shelby, Malta, and Sweetgrass) employed 201 agents, who carried out 270 apprehensions of illegal aliens (167 from Mexico, 103 from other countries) and seized 1.46 pounds of marijuana.
Border Patrol Job Titles and Requirements in Sweetgrass, MT
The primary mission of the Border Patrol jobs in Sweetgrass is to prevent terrorists and associated weapons from entering the United States. The Border Patrol also protects the nation by reducing the chances that other dangerous people and goods enter the United States borders. Though Border Patrol jobs in Sweetgrass are known to be challenging and may require long hours, they can also provide the satisfaction of contributing to the country’s safety.
All applicants for Border Patrol jobs must be U.S. citizens, have been a resident for at least three years, have no domestic violence convictions, have a valid driver’s license, and must not be 40 years of age or older by the time of hiring (some exceptions apply). They must also pass medical exams, fitness tests, drug tests, background checks, and other entry requirements. While the jobs available at each border patrol station vary, titles available at the Sweetgrass Border Patrol Station may include the following:
Border Patrol Agent – Border Patrol Agents work to detect and apprehend terrorists, illegal aliens, and smuggling by maintaining surveillance, following leads, responding to electronic sensors and aircraft sightings, maintaining traffic checkpoints, performing transportation checks, conducting anti-smuggling investigations, and other activities. The job can be both exciting and demanding, and often requires long hours in a variety of weather conditions. Agents are required to be proficient in the use of firearms, and will often be working alongside canines.
All Border Patrol agents undertake nineteen weeks of paid training at the Border Patrol Academy in Artesia, New Mexico, which is part of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center. Applicants who do not speak Spanish will be required to undertake an additional 40 days of language-related training. All agents are required to pass a series of Spanish-language tests.
Agriculture Specialists – CBP Agriculture Specialists work to keep the nation’s crop and livestock safe by preventing harmful pests, diseases, and forms of agro-terrorism from entering the country. They are responsible for applying a wide range of laws and regulations from the state, federal, and local levels. Their duties may include conducting random checks on luggage or other items and seizing contaminated or prohibited goods, such as certain types of produce, as well as serving as technical consultants in intelligence and other activities related to agricultural or commercial commodities. They may also plan, carry out, or supervise remedial activities such as treating and disinfecting agricultural commodities or materials. Like other Border Patrol Agents, Agriculture Specialists must pass background checks, drug, and medical examinations, and may also be granted high levels of security clearance.
Air and Marine Interdiction Agents – Air and Marine Interdiction Agentsuse specialized training and sophisticated, high-tech equipment to prevent humans, weapons, illegal drugs, and other items from unauthorized entry by air and water. These jobs may include working as a CBP Pilot, or commanding marine vessels that patrol oceans, lakes, and rivers to prevent the illegal entry of weapons, narcotics, and undocumented aliens.
Other Border Patrol Jobs in Sweetgrass, MT
In addition to the positions above, prospective applicants may find work in operational and mission support positions. Operational support titles include Sector Enforcement Specialists, Paralegals, Intelligence Research Specialists, and CBP Technicians. Mission support positions may include IT Specialists, Security Specialists, Management Analysts, Contract Specialists, Human Resource Specialists, Mission Support Specialists, Budget Analysts, purchasing agents, and mechanics.
Border Facilities and Crossings in Sweetgrass, MT
- The Sweetgrass Port of Entry
- The Cut Bank Airport, MT
- The Port of Piegan, MT