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Hello to all. I am currently a police officer in S. Florida, I am married with children. I am looking into employment with a federal agency. If anyone could provide me with any form of information I would appreciate it. I am currently looking into Border Patrol, Customs, and FPS. Once again thank you and stay safe.
GB0610
08-07-2008, 10:08 AM
Good morning.
What kind of info are you looking for? How to apply? The difference between the positions?
Why is it that you are interested in those positions in particular? Are you willing to move to the southwest border?
Good morning.
What kind of info are you looking for? How to apply? The difference between the positions?
Why is it that you are interested in those positions in particular? Are you willing to move to the southwest border?
I chose those positions because as far as I can tell they mirror local police work. I am also looking into the Department of the interior; I enjoy the outdoors, and would love to work outside. I am looking for a job, where I can make a difference, help people out, and do as much police work as possible.
As far as information, I would like to know about benefits, salary, and retirement. As far as I can tell some agencies retire at 20 years of service while others don’t. Some agencies allow there officers to carry off duty and others don’t. I know some agencies give their officers take home cars, as others do not. If anyone could let me know if this is accurate, and as to which category the agencies fall into. I would greatly appreciate it.
P.S. I am orriginaly from Texas and diying to get back. Talking about this has struck a bit of a spark in my wife to move back also.
I can only speak for the job as a CBPO. We do have off duty carry under HR 218. Unfortunately we do not have take home cars, but for what the job is it is not needed. We do have LEO retirement so we can retire with 25 years service or 20 years and 50 years old, very similar to FRS.
Our pay is at http://www.opm.gov/oca/08tables/indexGS.asp. We fall under the GS scale, not the GL which is law enforcement pay. We do NOT want GL. We are paid under a law called COPRA and the pay is much better, without the required overtime at straight time.
This sight contains the health benefits http://www.opm.gov/insure/health/
You can search the plan and options you want and get a monthly cost for each.
These sights contain information for every federal job. The main thing is figuring out what pay scale you will be paid under. If the job announcement dictates an age limit you will have the same retirement as CBPO's. If there is no mandatory retirement you fall under the general Federal Employees Retirement system. Information can be found here: http://www.opm.gov/retire/html/library/fers.asp
You can also do a Yahoo search and find all kinds of information about various federal programs.
CBPO is not like local LE, at all, it is LE but not all of the running around. On the SW border you will be busier and get more arrests, but it is still not typical LE. I jokingly refer to it as "LE light".
GB0610
08-07-2008, 10:53 AM
I chose those positions because as far as I can tell they mirror local police work. I am also looking into the Department of the interior; I enjoy the outdoors, and would love to work outside. I am looking for a job, where I can make a difference, help people out, and do as much police work as possible.
As far as information, I would like to know about benefits, salary, and retirement. As far as I can tell some agencies retire at 20 years of service while others don’t. Some agencies allow there officers to carry off duty and others don’t. I know some agencies give their officers take home cars, as others do not. If anyone could let me know if this is accurate, and as to which category the agencies fall into. I would greatly appreciate it.
Ok, thats better.
FPS Police Officers do not get a 20 yr retirement. Both CBP Officers and Border Patrol do. BUT, realize that BOTH positions are VERY different than your typical Police Officer Patrol position. As a CBPO, you will primarily be at a static post inspecting cargo. As a BPA you will be on patrol, but your job is to focus on immigration and drug smugglers. Believe me, it is VERY different than patrolling as a local PO.
Trying to get on as a Dept. of the Interior employee in a patrol function may be a better fit. The Forest Service, and Fish & Wildlife Service often have openings in Tx (they do right now for that matter). But realize that both have a "natural resource" protection function of their positions. You will enforce State law (traffic, dope), but WILL be steered away from other typical local PD calls (DV, assualts) in favor of protecting the land and its animals (you will often pass those calls off to the locals). Each of these Agencies does have take home rides and get a 20 yr retirement. All of these Agencies above can carry off duty.
You can go on OPM.gov to view the pay scales. You will typically start out as a GS-5 or GS-7. Each Agency puts its employees to GS-9 non-competatively. You will also get whats called AUO (Administratively uncontrolled OT) at the straight time rate of 25% at 20 hours a week in lieu of the typical time and a half for OT worked. But its gauranteed money.
Retirement is 1.7 times years worked. It will come out to around 33-35% of your high 3 salary. You will also be allowed to contribute to a Thrift Savings Plan.
Hope this helps...
Miller Time
08-07-2008, 10:57 AM
You want to go to Texas, love working outdoors, and want to make a difference....hmmm... lets seeee...BORDER PATROL! They do quite a bit, you might enjoy it. They have 24/7 carry, 20 yr retirement, go to a GS-11 with AUO, plenty of OT and TONS of job security. Good luck.
merlin436
08-07-2008, 12:00 PM
We do NOT want GL. We are paid under a law called COPRA and the pay is much better, without the required overtime at straight time.
Speak for yourself. I, and most of the officers I know, would have/would be making more money under GL pay with AUO.
Thank you for your input. I have applied with Boarder Patrol, EPA, and FPS. I am taking the boarder patrol test on 10/21. I am also looking into applying with the B of Indian Affairs. They have an opening down here in Florida. It would be nice to get a Federal job, and keep my local certification. If any one else has additional information please fell free to let me know. Also who do some agencies have the 20 year retirement, and others 25?
GB0610
08-07-2008, 08:27 PM
If any one else has additional information please fell free to let me know. Also who do some agencies have the 20 year retirement, and others 25?
They are the same retirement plan. It simply depends on what age you are when you start a Federal LE "Covered" position. What it means is you can retire with 25 yrs on at any age, or 20 yrs at age 50.
Speak for yourself. I, and most of the officers I know, would have/would be making more money under GL pay with AUO.
Wow you must get almost no overtime.
merlin436
08-08-2008, 11:41 AM
Wow you must get almost no overtime.
My personal best in OT in nearly 5 years...$4.4K. With holiday pay, Sunday's and the eve/night diffs. my best overall was about $10.5K. I'll probably beat both this year, but not by a lot.
PA's are under GL pay with 25% AUO and I've yet to meet a PA making less than what most of my co-workers are making.
My personal best in OT in nearly 5 years...$4.4K. With holiday pay, Sunday's and the eve/night diffs. my best overall was about $10.5K. I'll probably beat both this year, but not by a lot.
PA's are under GL pay with 25% AUO and I've yet to meet a PA making less than what most of my co-workers are making.
Most of the people at my port have about 7-8k in overtime etc. That sounds low but the majority of the officer's are 5's or 7's. Considering we still have two months left until the end of the fiscal, most will have about 25% premium pays and did not work the extra 25% for it.
merlin436
08-09-2008, 09:50 AM
Most of the people at my port have about 7-8k in overtime etc. That sounds low but the majority of the officer's are 5's or 7's. Considering we still have two months left until the end of the fiscal, most will have about 25% premium pays and did not work the extra 25% for it.
Well...25% of GS11 pay is roughly $14.5K, so some folks will have to pick up the pace considerably.
Assuming I was at $7K in OT right now, by my reckoning at GS-11/2 pay I'd need 139 hours of OT to reach $7.5K more. With 7 weeks of the fiscal year left, that's nearly 20 hours a week for 7 weeks working OT. Good luck to them. That kind of puts that extra 25% into a different perspective, doesn't?(and at this point it's not an extra 25%, but 12.5%. We're swapping double time OT for straight time OT.)
Well...25% of GS11 pay is roughly $14.5K, so some folks will have to pick up the pace considerably.
Assuming I was at $7K in OT right now, by my reckoning at GS-11/2 pay I'd need 139 hours of OT to reach $7.5K more. With 7 weeks of the fiscal year left, that's nearly 20 hours a week for 7 weeks working OT. Good luck to them. That kind of puts that extra 25% into a different perspective, doesn't?(and at this point it's not an extra 25%, but 12.5%. We're swapping double time OT for straight time OT.)
You're correct, but like I stated most of the officers at my port are 5's or 7's. The 5's for the most part have made their extra 25%. One of the biggest complaints I've heard from officers at other ports is the amount of overtime is too much. Obviously the ports you and I are assigned to don't have that problem. I think we are the exceptions, not the rule.
merlin436
08-09-2008, 10:44 AM
GS-05 RUS base pay-$29762 +8K OT=37762
GL-05 RUS base pay-$36658 +25% AUO($9,164.50)=$45822.5
GS-07 RUS base pay-$36822 +8K OT=44822
GL-07 RUS base pay-$41729 +25% AUO($10432.25)=$52161.25
Your 5's and 7's are likely losing out on more than the 11's.
They are the same retirement plan. It simply depends on what age you are when you start a Federal LE "Covered" position. What it means is you can retire with 25 yrs on at any age, or 20 yrs at age 50.
What are Federal LE "Covered" positions?
GB0610
08-10-2008, 02:56 AM
What are Federal LE "Covered" positions?
Covered under 6c/12d retirement. You get 1.7% each year for 20 yrs (able to go out at 20 depending on age....or 25 yrs) as aposed to 1% for 30 yrs in the normal FED retirement.
GS-05 RUS base pay-$29762 +8K OT=37762
GL-05 RUS base pay-$36658 +25% AUO($9,164.50)=$45822.5
GS-07 RUS base pay-$36822 +8K OT=44822
GL-07 RUS base pay-$41729 +25% AUO($10432.25)=$52161.25
Your 5's and 7's are likely losing out on more than the 11's.
It looks like you're saying officer's receiving LEAP are being paid approximatley50% more than the rest of the Gov't employees (GL+AUO pay). It was my understanding that the GL pay scale incorporated AUO pay.
merlin436
08-10-2008, 09:32 AM
It looks like you're saying officer's receiving LEAP are being paid approximatley50% more than the rest of the Gov't employees (GL+AUO pay). It was my understanding that the GL pay scale incorporated AUO pay.
LEAP? LEAP is a completely different animal, limited by policy to just a select group of job series. We're highly unlikely to see LEAP anytime soon. LEAP. like AUO,pays 25% extra as well...but under different rules.
The GL pay scale pays extra to those at GL-10 and under. Considerably extra to GL-07 and under. AUO is paid at 25% on top of the base pay for the GL scale. I guess it is true that a GL-05 with AUO makes roughly 50% more than A GS-05 without any OT. In most real world situations the difference should be less than that though.
So now I know. It really doesn't matter where I am at all overtime is scheduled, so I'd still recieve the apropriate overtime.
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