Border Patrol Question

[powaybob]

Last weekend we headed out to our desert cabin and passed through a Border Patrol Checkpoint on a county highway about 20 miles from the Mexican border.

The young patrolman was very polite and professional, no smiling. He asked where were coming from and where we were headed. I answered, then he asked, "Do you have any weapons"

Since I had a clearly marked ammo can of 22 LR and a box containing 250 rounds of 9mm clearly visible in the back of the pickup, I answered, "Yes, I have legally owned weapons? Why do you ask?

His response was "just checking".

Is this standard procedure?

It makes no sense to me- if I were smuggling guns or drugs would I admit it? Are crooks that dumb?

The next day my wife and I went shooting in a wash past the checkpoint and on our return we stopped at the same checkpoint and were asked by the same patrolman where we were coming from. I told him we were shooting in the wash and heading back to our cabin. He did not ask us if we had any weapons.

By the way I don't think we fit any profile- we are in our 60s, white middle class looking people driving a Dodge pickup. But I suppose these days anyone could be smuggling.

At various times we have seen agents at this checkpoint in full body armor with M-4s or shotguns, even a submachine gun of some kind. I don't think they have made any big busts at this checkpoint and I think they send the starting agents there to learn.

[RileyBean]

You never know what they're looking for on any given day (my guess is they get new intel all the time).

[SVT-40]

Basically there is no longer a true "profile". Smugglers are all shapes, sizes, colors and ages. The agent was probably just routinely asking the same set of questions of everyone. No big deal.

You acted properly and were honest.

Don't fall in with the "Am I free to go" group of people. They are just being difficult where a honest answer would serve the same purpose.

[vintagearms]

Basically there is no longer a true "profile". Smugglers are all shapes, sizes, colors and ages. The agent was probably just routinely asking the same set of questions of everyone. No big deal.

You acted properly and were honest.

Don't fall in with the "Am I free to go" group of people. They are just being difficult where a honest answer would serve the same purpose.

THIS.

[hitman13]

Basically there is no longer a true "profile". Smugglers are all shapes, sizes, colors and ages. The agent was probably just routinely asking the same set of questions of everyone. No big deal.

You acted properly and were honest.

Don't fall in with the "Am I free to go" group of people. They are just being difficult where a honest answer would serve the same purpose.

I concur, great answer to the OP's questions....

[RileyBean]

Basically there is no longer a true "profile". Smugglers are all shapes, sizes, colors and ages. The agent was probably just routinely asking the same set of questions of everyone. No big deal.

You acted properly and were honest.

Don't fall in with the "Am I free to go" group of people. They are just being difficult where a honest answer would serve the same purpose.

Yep. What's with all the anti LE stuff here?????

[powaybob]

Thanks for the responses everyone. I am old school enough to believe honesty is the best policy. We go through this checkpoint at least twice a month during the winter, but seldom do we see the same people there so we don't become familiar to them.

[bobfried]

......I don't think they have made any big busts at this checkpoint and I think they send the starting agents there to learn.

People always assume that checkpoints never catch anything major. To the contrary, if they were not effective they would not be operating. I won't delve too deep into things but millions of dollars per month worth of seizures from the various checkpoints in SoCal alone. If you think that's a small number in street value realize that's bulk, multiply that a few times and you will realize how much stuff these checkpoints are stopping from flowing into the streets.

[Cardinal Sin]

Just be truthful and as polite as you would to any person you meet. Dont act like that jackass college prof in Arizona that goes out of his way to screw with Border Agents. You'd be surprised what some of the simplest questions or observations produce open Patrol, Line Watch, Check Point. Some may seem trivial or retarded but they are for good reason when you under stand how Checkpoint duties work. Working checkpoint is dependent on what station you are assigned at what types of patrol/duty that a station covers. Seasoned Agents and trainees do it. The public doesn't see the 500lb of dope stuffed in the side panels, seats, wheel hubs, dashes, false beds, tanks, engine, etc or the money, ammo, guns and people. border wars will not and cannot show what Patrol Agents really do for a variety of reasons. As far as profiles go, it's more like "indicators". A mix of things not adding up, intuition and "if it looks, walks and quacks like a duck". . . maybe we should check it out". I am over simplifying this of course and purposely vague for good reason. Bad guys come in all ages, genders, nationalities, etc. The ones that really irk though me are the American citizen bad guys. It's damn near treason what they do to help criminals.

[Axewound]

exactly

[bill_k_lopez]

Just be truthful and as polite as you would to any person you meet. Dont act like that jackass college prof in Arizona that goes out of his way to screw with Border Agents. You'd be surprised what some of the simplest questions or observations produce open Patrol, Line Watch, Check Point. Some may seem trivial or retarded but they are for good reason when you under stand how Checkpoint duties work. Working checkpoint is dependent on what station you are assigned at what types of patrol/duty that a station covers. Seasoned Agents and trainees do it. The public doesn't see the 500lb of dope stuffed in the side panels, seats, wheel hubs, dashes, false beds, tanks, engine, etc or the money, ammo, guns and people. border wars will not and cannot show what Patrol Agents really do for a variety of reasons. As far as profiles go, it's more like "indicators". A mix of things not adding up, intuition and "if it looks, walks and quacks like a duck". . . maybe we should check it out". I am over simplifying this of course and purposely vague for good reason. Bad guys come in all ages, genders, nationalities, etc. The ones that really irk though me are the American citizen bad guys. It's damn near treason what they do to help criminals.

How about this:

You respect my constitutional rights by not forcing me to stop and answer questions when I have done nothing wrong.

Maybe you think being stopped and questioned for no good reason is a good thing, I don't. Nor does it provide any higher level of security or safety.

[vintagearms]

How about this:

You respect my constitutional rights by not forcing me to stop and answer questions when I have done nothing wrong.

Maybe you think being stopped and questioned for no good reason is a good thing, I don't. Nor does it provide any higher level of security or safety.

[Cardinal Sin]

Bill

Your constitutional rights are in no way being violated. Case law has establish the peramiters of what is and is not acceptable. The Patrol enforces Federal law and the Martinez-Fuerte case was found to be constitutional and necessary to establish citizenship. There are countless instances of case law that guide the constitutionality of Federal Law Enforcement. I conceded that it can be inconvenient to have to establish citizenship as is the reality that some people just don't like LEO interaction. All traffic stops are done with reasonal suspicion with articulable reasons. They are not done for no good reason. I understand where you are coming from because it is frustrating however you have to see it from the Agents view point. Benign things for the public are indicators for a Good and attentive Agent.

Good find Vintagearms!. Was just going to cite that case

[Ron-Solo]

Basically there is no longer a true "profile". Smugglers are all shapes, sizes, colors and ages. The agent was probably just routinely asking the same set of questions of everyone. No big deal.

You acted properly and were honest.

Don't fall in with the "Am I free to go" group of people. They are just being difficult where a honest answer would serve the same purpose.

Exactly!

[ak_in_ca]

I would assume youre talking about the imperial county checkpoint. That checkpoint has pulled some huge seizures and the agents out there are anything but dumb rookies.