U.S. Border Patrol History
The majority of the information below is the result of research based on documents discovered in the National Archives. The photograph above was taken December 2018 as the USBP historian was discovering many of the documents that were used to create this page. Much of the research provided unequivocal evidence that corrected inaccurate USBP history and folklore that had been accepted as fact for decades.
Last updated - April 23, 2021
USBP History Q&A
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Why was the U.S. Border Patrol created?
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The Bureau of Immigration received funding from Public Law 68-153, an approved appropriations bill (page 240), on May 28, 1924. This document did not create the Border Patrol but funded the Bureau of Immigration to increase the "land-border patrol" functions of which were already being performed. The Bureau of Immigration used the funding to create the Immigration Border Patrol, a concept that had been introduced as early as 1914 as per this document.
Many sources cite that the Border Patrol was created in response to the ratification of the 18th Amendment and the passage of the Volstead Act, prohibition. However, no official Immigration Service documents have been discovered in the National Archives that support that popular claim. However, documents haven discovered that indicate that the concept of a Border Patrol was conceived and proposed by Supervising Inspector Frank W. Berkshire in response to the growing problem of aliens circumventing the ports-of-entry and illegally entering the United States. That article describes how Frank Berkshire presented proposal after proposal to create a Border Patrol and is the genesis story of the U.S. Border Patrol. Frank Berkshire would later become one of the Chiefs of the Border Patrol, 1932-1933. Interestingly, once created, the Border Patrol had more inspectors assigned to the northern border than to the southern border. This occurred even though the southern border had requested staffing levels three times greater than that of the northern border. On April 30, 1924, the Commissioner-General issued a memorandum to the eleven districts that were to receive funding to hire personnel to create a "land-border patrol". The districts were instructed to respond via telegram with the number of inspectors they wished to hire. Please see this document to see the memorandum and the telegrams. |
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Was Jefferson Davis Milton the first Border Patrol Inspector?
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As per documents that supported Jeff Milton's retirement in 1932, he was neither a Border Patrol Inspector nor a member of the Border Patrol. It is believed that he was a well-known law enforcement officer in the El Paso District, which encompasses modern day Tucson, El Paso and Big Bend Sectors. It is thought that the leaders of the newly formed Border Patrol used Jeff Milton's rugged independence as an example for new inspectors to follow. This led to him mistakenly being considered the first Border Patrol Inspector.
Concerning a first Border Patrol Inspector, evidence indicates that there was not a "first" Border Patrol Inspector that hirings were conducted simultaneously throughout the nation. Please see the timeline and supporting documents below:
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What was the maximum strength of the Mounted Watchmen (also known as Mounted Guards and Mounted Patrol)?
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Two documents from 1918 have been found where the Commissioner-General of the Immigration Service is responded to a request concern staffing levels along the Mexican border. The document from September 3, 1918 shows authorized numbers and the document from September 4, 1918 shows actual numbers.
The documents specify that there were 68 Mounted Watchmen employed but 84 authorized. Mounted Watchmen were also known as Mounted Guards and Mounted Patrol. It is unknown and unverified where the maximum strength of 75 watchmen originated. The September 3rd document is the best evidence yet located that indicates the maximum strength of the mounted force (68 Watchmen). The September 3rd document The September 4th document |
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Which was the first sector?
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The Border Patrol began not with one but with 32 sub-districts (sectors).
The Border Patrol was created in 1924 under the Department of Labor, becoming part of the Bureau of Immigration. Under the Bureau was the Immigration Service, the Immigration Service was decentralized and divided the United States into 35 immigration districts. Many districts were divided into sub-districts. In 1924, eleven districts and their 32 sub-districts were located along the international boundaries and received new Border Patrol employees. Throughout the decades, the sub-districts would evolve to become the modern day Sectors. Therefore, the USBP began not with two but with 32 "Sectors." See this document (pg. 93-94), this document and this document. |
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Which was the first USBP station?
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The Border Patrol did not have a first station. When funding was received in 1924, all USBP actions and activities started simultaneously nationwide.
In 1924, fiscal years were July-June. Therefore, the Bureau of Immigration received funding five weeks before the start of a new fiscal year. Indications are that those five weeks were concentrated on hiring new Border Patrol employees and renting small spaces for sub-district headquarters. Many sub-districts were nothing more than a rented rooms or houses. See this document. Until 1926, sub-districts were led by Immigrant Inspectors who were designated as Patrol Inspectors In Charge (PIIC). There was no level of supervision under a PIIC until 1926. No evidence has been collected to support that a facility had been constructed or rented to serve as a Border Patrol Station before 1926. However, indications are that the sub-district PIIC would assigned or "station" Border Patrol Inspectors to work in various cities and towns within a sub-district. Most folklore has elements of truth. Both Detroit and El Paso Stations have historically claimed to be first. The Detroit and El Paso Sub-districts were unique as compared to other sub-districts? However, it wasn't the sub-districts that were unique but the cities. The cities of El Paso and Detroit were the only cities that contained three levels of Immigration Service hierarchy; the district HQ, the sub-district HQ and a Border Patrol station. Furthermore, from 1926-1927 and 1932-1933, the Border Patrol had two "Chiefs", one for each border. Those first "Chiefs" worked, not in Washington D.C., but in the cities of Detroit and El Paso giving those locations four levels of Immigration Service hierarchy. See this document for a list of the 1933 USBP locations including 121 stations (the earliest complete station list discovered). |
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Why is the El Paso Station called Station #1?
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The districts within the Immigration Service were known by both a number and the location in which they were located. See this document (pg. 93-94).
Sub-districts were also known by both a number and the location in which they were located. Starting in 1926 with the implementation of General Order 61, sub-districts were to be numbered consecutively beginning with #1. Indications are this naming convention applied to stations as well. Furthermore, indications are that a station co-located with the sub-district HQ would be called "Station #1." For example, in 1926, if a person was told to report to Station 1 located in District 25, Sub-district 2, they would report to the El Paso District, El Paso Sub-district, to the station that was located in El Paso. From 1924-1956, the El Paso Sub-district and station were co-located at Camp Chigas. In 1956, a new sub-district building was completed at 1401 S. Hammett Blvd. The Border Patrol has maintained a tradition of calling the El Paso Station "Station 1", but the original purpose of the name had been forgotten. No sector continues this naming convention better than Laredo Sector. However, Laredo Sector refers to their locations as "bases" instead of "stations".
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What is the origin of the slogan, "Where the Legend Began"?
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Leading up to the Border Patrol's 75th anniversary in 1998-1999, El Paso Sector was planning events and initiatives for the benchmark date. Assistant Chief Patrol Agent David B. Ham was assigned as the sector's lead. As part of the pending celebration, El Paso's Chief Patrol Agent tasked Chief Ham with creating a slogan for El Paso. Based on the common belief that El Paso was the location of the first "sector" and station, he coined the the phrase, "Where the Legend Began".
However, historical documents show that El Paso was neither the location of the first "sector" nor the first station. When funding (pg. 240) was received in 1924, all of the first USBP "sectors" and stations came into being simultaneously nationwide. Not to lessen the value of the City of El Paso in Border Patrol history, it is believed that Frank Berkshire authored his proposals to create the Border Patrol while in his office El Paso. Evidence suggests that the building in which his office was located is still standing, the Mills Building. Please see the letterhead in this document. Note - David Ham retired many years ago and is currently the President of the Board of Governors of the Border Patrol Museum, a non-profit organization (CFC #16083). Please consider visiting the Border Patrol Museum's Gift Shop. The Border Patrol Museum receives no federal funds and relies on donations and gift sales to remain open. |
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When and where did "Honor First" originate?
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Based on an Immigration Service index reference from 1929, coupled with the 1927 Commissioner General's report to the Secretary of the Department of Labor, it is believed that the motto originated in the El Paso District (which encompasses modern day Tucson, El Paso and Big Bend Sectors) sometime in 1926.
The excerpt from the 1927 Commissioner General's report is the earliest use of "Honor First" that has been found. The report covers July 1926 - June 1927 (FY27). The border patrol is a young man's organization; it appeals strongly to the lover of the big outdoors—the primeval forests, the sunparched deserts, the mountains, and the plains; the business upon which it is engaged calls for manhood, stamina, versatility, and resourcefulness in the highest degree. "Honor first" is its watchword; privations and danger but serve as a challenge which none refuses. Unfailing courtesy to all, and helpfulness to the helpless in distress, are emphasized above every other requisite. These young men are proud of their jobs—proud of their organization—with a code of ethics unsurpassed by any similar organization of this or any other day. In the three short years of its existence it has created a priceless store of traditions. The pride of these men in their organization is equaled only by the pride and esteem in which they are held by the communities in which they operate. Spontaneous testimonials of this esteem are being constantly received by the bureau. To an almost unbelievable extent the border patrol is self-governing. Its members must be left largely to their own devices and upon their honor. The weight of popular disapproval of his fellow officers is more potent with the erring one than all the printed regulations humanly possible to devise. The uniform is sacred; it not only symbolizes authority, the law's majesty and all the power of the Federal Government, but it entails obligations upon the wearer in the way of deportment which are intuitively recognized and scrupulously observed. In an El Paso District Selection Letter from 1930 that was given to newly hired Border Patrol Inspectors, Honor First was given as an organizational value and as its watch-word. Those new hires were instructed to "RESIGN NOW" if they could not live up to the concept. The Border Patrol trademarked the phrase "Honor First" on August 17, 2010 and renewed the trademark in 2019. |
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What are the locations of the USBP Academy?
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The answer below was based on information gathered from the USBP Academy and Border Patrol Museum. The USBP historian revised previously accepted history based on documents discovered in the National Archives.
The “Academy” has been located in 9 different cities. 1. El Paso, TX * Camp Chigas - Unnumbered classes, 1936-40 - Class 1 (1940) – Class 44 (July 1951) - Class 48 & 49 (1953), 53 (1954), 57 (1955) * Radford School Class 54 * Logan Heights area of the Ft. Bliss - Class 55, 58-77 (1954-61) 2. Mesilla, NM (1951-1952) * Class 45 – Class 46 3. McAllen, TX (1952-54) * Class 47, 50-52 4. Los Fresnos, TX (Port Isabel) (1966-67, 1968-77) * Class 78 – 89 * Class 91- 113 5. Calexico, CA and Chula Vista, CA (1967-68) * Only Class 90 6. Glynco (1977- 2004) * Class 114-? 7. Ft. McClellan, Alabama (1988) * Class 226, the Alabama 500 8. Charleston, SC (1996-2004) * Class 315-? 9. Artesia, New Mexico (2004- * Class 583- Early training was provided by individual districts and sub-districts. The first national training facility was held at the El Paso Sub-district and Station HQ, Camp Chigas, in El Paso beginning in 1936 and continued through the 1940s and 50s. A photograph (courtesy of the Border Patrol Museum) of a Border Patrol training class that was in session December 3, 1934 - March 17, 1935, is mistakenly used as the birthdate of the USBP Academy. However, Camp Chigas had been used by the El Paso District (Tucson, El Paso and Big Bend Sub-districts) to train district employees for years before. The concept of creating a national academy had been discussed and researched in 1934 (see this document and this document). Records were not kept that identified the date that Camp Chigas began training all Border Patrol new hires and therefore became the national Academy. However, 1936 is the year that documents support that having occurred. During the 1950s training sessions were also held at McAllen, Texas, and Las Cruces, New Mexico. In the 1950s, the National Border Patrol Academy was located on Fort Bliss at El Paso, Texas, in 1961 moved to Port Isabel, Texas, and in 1976 joined the National Police Training Facility at Glynco Georgia, with additional facilities at Chula Vista, California, Calexico, California, Charleston, South Carolina, Artesia, New Mexico, and others. Numbered classes began with #1 in 1940, located at Camp Chigas. From 1936 to June 15, 1940 the Immigration Service was part of the Department of Labor and the national training school held unnumbered classes at Camp Chigas. Under the Department of Justice, the Border Patrol classes began to be numbered consecutively. The training school was located in the south wing of sector headquarters at Camp Chigas in El Paso, TX until 1951. In 1951 and 1952 the training school moved to the campus of the New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanic in Arts Mesilla, NM. In the fall of 1952, the 47th session was held in McAllen, TX. The 48th and 49th sessions were held in Camp Chigas, and the school was again moved to McAllen, TX for the 50th, 51st, and 52nd sessions. The 53rd session was held in Camp Chigas, and the 54th in the Radford School in El Paso, TX during the school's summer vacation. In July 1955 a site was obtained in the Logan Heights area of the Ft. Bliss Military Reservation at El Paso. The 55th-77th sessions were held there where the facilities far surpassed any previously provided. In July 1961, the academy was moved to Los Fresnos, TX in what is now the Port Isabel Service Processing Center detention facility (Letter by Robert E. Wooten). The academy at Los Fresnos was badly damaged by Hurricane Beulah in 1967. The academy had to be temporarily moved to Calexico, CA and Chula Vista, CA for the 90th session. The Federal Law Enforcement Training Center opened a temporary training facility at the Ft. McClellan Army base in Alabama in 1988 to accommodate a Border Patrol hiring initiative. Only one class number was assigned to the large session 226, but they came to be known as the "Alabama 500". In 1990, the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center opened a training facility in Artesia, New Mexico. Border Patrol Academy sessions 254, 255, 276, 278, and 284 were held there. FLETC Artesia remained an advanced training facility for the Border Patrol. In 1996 a satellite Border Patrol Academy was opened at what was once the Charleston Naval Base in Charleston, SC. Session 315 was the first basic academy session to utilize the Charleston facility. Sessions continued to be held at Charleston, and Glynco until 2004. On October 20, 2004 the Border Patrol Basic Academy returned to Artesia, New Mexico where it remains today. The first class to report to Artesia was session 583. The Border Patrol Academy continued to teach Spanish to all trainee agents until session 715, when trainees were able to test out of Spanish, shortening the academy to 55 days for those able to pass the Spanish Proficiency Test. Traditionally agents begin their careers on the southern Border. In August of 2008, session 803 was the first class with trainees reporting to the Northern U.S. Border since 1950. |
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If still standing, would the location of the original Border Patrol Academy in El Paso now be located in Mexico?
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If still standing, the building housing the El Paso Sub-district 2 headquarters and the first national training school (also known as Camp Chigas) would be located in the United States by 10-20 feet.
See this document. However, there is a former U.S. Border Patrol Building that is still standing that is located in Mexico. It is the Comisión Internacional de Límites y Aguas building. See this document. |
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Have horses ever been the primary mode of patrolling the border?
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Horseback has never been the primary means that the Border Patrol has patrolled the border. A 1936 document shows how the U.S. Border Patrol patrolled the border from FY1925 - FY1936 (July 1, 1924 – June 30, 1936).
In the report, FY1925 grouped motor, train, horse, boat and aircraft together as 2,011,140 miles patrolled. By looking at the following FYs, it is very clear that patrolling by motor (automobiles) has always been the USBP's primary patrolling method. |
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Was there a requirement for early Border Patrol Inspectors to have their own horses and saddles as a condition of employment?
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No evidence has been discovered that would support the Border Patrol Inspectors were required to provide their own horses and saddles as a condition of employment? However, in those instances where a Border Patrol Inspector used their own horse, the government would provide reimbursement.
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When and where was the first checkpoint?
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Checkpoints for immigration purposes predate the creation of the Border Patrol.
Although the first checkpoint may never be known, it is known that the Immigration Service utilized a checkpoint in Oceanside, California in 1922. That checkpoint was staffed with one Immigrant Inspector and three Mounted Guards. See this document. |
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In which year did the Border Patrol begin to utilize canines?
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The earliest evidence of the Border Patrol utilizing a canine is in a photograph from 1942. The photograph is from a collection provided by the family of the seventh Chief of the Border Patrol, N. Donald Collaer. The picture was taken at an internment camp in Fort Lincoln, ND.
See this photograph. |
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How many Border Patrol employees were assigned to HQ in 1936?
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Three.
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What was the first year where there were more Border Patrol Inspectors on the southern border than the northern border?
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In August of 1924, the Commissioner-General of the Bureau of Immigration proposed changing the title of Border Patrol Inspectors to which of the following:
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Junior Immigrant Inspector " In 1924, Border Patrol Inspectors had no immigration authority. By law, authority rested with employees who had the title "Immigrant Inspector" who were paid more than Border Patrol Inspectors. In order that Border Patrol Inspectors might receive legal authority without being paid more, the Commissioner-General wrote a proposal to the Secretary of the Department a Labor requesting to resurrect a plan that was used in 1913 for Mounted Watchmen, and to rename Border Patrol Inspectors, Junior Immigrant Inspectors.
See this document. |
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Has the border ever been considered secure?
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In 1955, the Commissioner of the INS, in his annual report to the Attorney General, stated that "the border has been secured."
See this document (pg. 15). |
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Which year did the Border Patrol get its first Chief of the Border Patrol?
Who was the first Chief of the Border Patrol? How many people have been the Chief of the Border Patrol? |
General Order 61 was signed in March, 1926 and created the position "Supervisor of the Border Patrol". That is the position that we call Chief of the Border Patrol today.
However, research shows that the Border Patrol didn't start with a single Chief but with two. One for the northern border and one for the southern border. Ruel Davenport and George Harris were the first Chiefs of the Border Patrol. Since George Harris served nonconsecutive terms, Chief Scott is the 24th Chief of the Border Patrol but the 23rd person to have been the Chief.
See this document for the portraits of all of the "Chiefs of the U.S. Border Patrol". (Chief Collaer's name is spelled incorrectly in the document) |
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How did the USBP Pistol Team begin?
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Evidence indicates that Patrol Inspectors representing their districts or sub-districts were competing in shooting matches as early as 1931 (see this document and this document).
Several of the shooting teams had done very well in their local competitions and had gained enough confidence to challenge other Border Patrol teams. In 1931, the El Paso District team (comprising modern day Tucson, El Paso and Big Bend Sectors) wanted to issue a Border Patrol wide challenge (see this document). However, the challenge was never issued. In 1935, the Tampa Sub-district send a request to issue a shooting challenge to headquarters, "We will shoot any course of fire and at any distance." See this document. Headquarters looked favorably on the Tampa challenge and sent it to all Border Patrol locations (32 sub-districts). Ten sub-districts stepped up to the challenge. Almost two months after the challenge was issued, headquarters had received and disseminated the results. The El Paso Sub-district was victorious and the Tampa Sub-district had placed 4th. See this document. Five days after release the Tampa Sub-district shooting challenge results, headquarters issued a solicitation to all Border Patrol locations to form a pistol team to compete at a national match in Camp Perry, Ohio in September of 1935. This represents the birth of the USBP Pistol Team. See this document. The Border Patrol did form team that competed in Camp Perry, "in its first appearance in the National Pistol Match finished fourth with a score only three points below the three teams tied for first place." See this document (pg 6). |
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Has the "Structured Interview" always been part of the Border Patrol hiring process?
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A 1926 document indicates that the "oral examination" was an expected part of the Border Patrol hiring process. The author, George Harris (who was one of the first two Chiefs of the Border Patrol), wrote this about the oral interview, "In no other way is it possible so effectively to weed out obvious misfits and save the Service later trouble and expense."
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When did the first African American become a Border Patrol Inspector?
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Research indicates that Paul L.D. Calloway became a Border Patrol Inspector in the summer of 1924. He retired from the Border Patrol in 1955. He worked his entire career in the area of Buffalo, NY.
See this 1929 roster (pg. 5). See these photographs from 1932 and 1942. Also, see this page from the 1930 Census. |
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What is the earliest reference to the USBP conducting intelligence work?
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The earliest mention of the Border Patrol conducting intelligence operations or having an intelligence unit so far located is in a document from March, 1926.
In the 1926 document, the author Ruel Davenport had just been promoted to Supervisor of the Border Patrol (modern day Chief of the Border Patrol) two weeks earlier with the signing of General Order 61. In the memo, Davenport recommends that George T. Montague be promoted to Assistant Superintendent of District 11, the Detroit District. Montague was acting as the district's Inspector in Charge of the Border Patrol, the position from which Davenport had just promoted. The "district Inspector in Charge of the Border Patrol" was a position unique to the Detroit District and was the position that led to the creation of the position of Assistant Superintendent. Assistant Superintendents were the immediate supervisors of Chief Patrol Inspectors (modern day Chief Patrol Agents). In 1926, there were 11 border districts divided into 32 sub-districts (modern day sectors). The Detroit District had 3 sub-districts. Several other documents indicate that the Border Patrol had a well-established intelligence section by the mid-1950's. See this 1955 document See this 1956 document See this 1957 document |
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What year did the Border Patrol patch become part of the uniform?
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The official design of the patch was finalized August 5, 1942. The earliest evidence of the patch on a Border Patrol uniform was in photographs from May, 1945.
See this picture and this document. 1938 Uniform Sketches As research was being conducted, a series of unsigned and undated sketches were discovered surrounded by documents from 1938. These sketches are believed to be part of discussions that, in part, led to the U.S. Border Patrol patch. On page 5 of this document is a sketch shaped like the United States with the words "Border Patrol". The background color is blue and the lettering is silver. Following the pattern of the time, there may have been discussions of gold lettering for Chief Patrol Inspectors and above. Although the original concept was to have a patch that was shaped like the United States, the manufacture of such a complex shape was cost prohibitive at the time. Therefore, it is believed that the patch shape was changed to a less expensive circle and the outline of the United States sewn onto it. |
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What year did the Border Patrol change titles from "Inspector" to "Agent"?
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1970 - Changes in laws, law enforcement procedures and concurrent Immigration and Naturalization Service operation changes resulted in the need for significant revisions of classification standards. As part of the changes, Border Patrol Inspectors were renamed Border Patrol Agents.
See the 1970 INS Annual Report (pg. 33) and this document. |
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When did the first female become a Border Patrol Agent?
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Five women graduated with Class 107 on July 31, 1975.
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What is the timeline of the USBP uniform?
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The timeline below will be updated as new information is discovered.
December 11, 1924, the USBP uniform was created with General Order 42 (GO42)
1926-1930 - Uniform amendments to GO42
September 10, 1931, the second BP Uniform Policy, General Order 179 (GO179), implemented.
1932-1935 - Uniform amendments to GO179
1931 – Military ribbons considered for wear 1934 – Earliest rough duty uniform authorized. 1936 – Slacks authorized on the northern border 1937 –
1939 – An eight pointed hat modeled after the NYPD was researched and later implemented over the Pershing hat. 1940 – A fatigue uniform was proposed but never implemented. 1941 – New DOJ Badges issued. Penalties for losing badges. 1942 – Gold service stars (time-in-service) implemented. 1945 – Border Patrol Patch first worn. 1949 – Army sun tan colored uniforms first worn in south Texas 1951 - Army sun tan colored uniforms authorized for rough duty wear on the southern border 1952 – USBP Pistol Team uniform implemented 1954 – - Two uniforms authorized, official uniform (dress) and rough duty - Task force (ball cap) authorized - Sun tan uniforms to be retired by May 1, 1955 1956 – Uniform Policy (3rd uniform policy located). It is believed that another policy which has never been located was issued in the 1940s making this the 4th uniform policy.
- Silver – ACPI - Oxidized – SPI
1970 - The Border Patrol change titles from "Inspector" to "Agent" and new badges were issued. 1974 – "50th Anniversary 1924-1974" patch authorized for wear under the USBP patch during the year 1976 – American bicentennial patch authorized for wear on the right arm during the year 1980 – Military style rank insignia implement. Rank insignia was intended to assimilate military rank insignia into civilian pay grades. 1999 – USBP 75th Anniversary devices authorized for wear
2002-2004 – The following awards authorized for wear - Newton-Azrak - Purple Cross - Chief's Commendation. - This was awarded only once. The design was repurposed as the USBP Achievement Award in 2018. 2003 – CBP Patch mandated on right arm 2006 – CBP badges issued 2007 – - The new RDU Uniform authorized for wear - Military ribbons no longer authorized for wear 2019 – USBP Honorary Awards authorized for wear 2020 – New USBP Authorized Device guidance issued. Some devices are authorized for wear for the agent's career while others only while assigned to the unit. |