Border Wars TV show....

[SANE-A30]

Today while I was at work I caught glimpes of the Border War Tv show, the thing that stood out the most to me was mentioning the agents first and last names..... like printed on the screen... one agent that they interviewed even stated that he was married with four kids on the show.... it just does'nt seem very safe to me to have the agents names plastered all over the tv.... JMO though....

[MikeG]

Today while I was at work I caught glimpes of the Border War Tv show, the thing that stood out the most to me was mentioning the agents first and last names..... like printed on the screen... one agent that they interviewed even stated that he was married with four kids on the show.... it just does'nt seem very safe to me to have the agents names plastered all over the tv.... JMO though....

I'm not a LEO but police wear nametags. Police reports are public record and containg their names. They testify in open court. Now home address and other records that can identify where they live I think would be more sensitive and they have procedures here in AZ for removing public records that contain address and such. The bad guys that would do them harm know their names and where they work though because that's how they met. I would also think that spouses and childrens names are also rather sensitive. Just my 0.02.

[Kimble]

I'm not a LEO but police wear nametags. Police reports are public record and containg their names. They testify in open court.

Exactly. Border Patrol Agents aren't secret agents. I doubt I would go into details about my family on a TV show recording, but giving agent names is no different than giving a police officer's name on "Cops."

[SANE-A30]

Exactly. Border Patrol Agents aren't secret agents. I doubt I would go into details about my family on a TV show recording, but giving agent names is no different than giving a police officer's name on "Cops."

yeah I thought about that too, but there job just seems more dangerous with all those mexican drug lords.. this one particular episode was in California..not mexico. maybe i'm way off base but If I watched a tv show where my brother was being manhandled and shipped back to mexico I would get a little ticked off same with a COPS show... I think they should bleep out the name of the agent or deputy.. ,they bleep out a lot of other stuff why not that? it just seems risky to me. whether it be a agent or a leo.

[SANE-A30]

I'm not a LEO but police wear nametags. Police reports are public record and containg their names. They testify in open court. Now home address and other records that can identify where they live I think would be more sensitive and they have procedures here in AZ for removing public records that contain address and such. The bad guys that would do them harm know their names and where they work though because that's how they met. I would also think that spouses and childrens names are also rather sensitive. Just my 0.02.

yeah this is true...lol I would hide my badge and give a alias... the bad guys do it!!

[Kimble]

yeah I thought about that too, but there job just seems more dangerous with all those mexican drug lords..

Don't let Cat_Doc hear you say that, I'm sure he can easily convince you he and his deputies on the southwest border face exactly the same dangers from drug cartels/smugglers as federal border agents.

whether it be a agent or a leo.

To clarify agents (whether Special Agent, Border Patrol Agent, Immigration Enforcement Agent, etc.) are LEO's, just the title often used within the federal government. Similar to how a SANE RN is still a nurse.

[SANE-A30]

Don't let Cat_Doc hear you say that, I'm sure he can easily convince you he and his deputies on the southwest border face exactly the same dangers from drug cartels/smugglers as federal border agents.


To clarify agents (whether Special Agent, Border Patrol Agent, Immigration Enforcement Agent, etc.) are LEO's, just the title often used within the federal government. Similar to how a SANE RN is still a nurse.

Yeah I know BOTH jobs are dangerous and I know there is no difference really other then a title.... I just never thought about it until yesterday while watching the Tv show it does'nt mattr the position you are in I am just againist the full name ( FIRST AND LAST) being broadcasted all over tv....with a badge is'nt usually just a last name displayed ? with our badges at work we have only our first name....our last name is prohibited you would think it would be the same for Law enforcement.

[Cat_Doc]

It is one of our policy and procedures that we provide our name and badge number to anyone inquiring unless we are assigned to an undercover investigation. Outside of that, staff can (and has) be disciplined for refusing to comply.

Unlike a private hospital, we are public employees. We cannot hide our names. As a matter of fact, any citizen may request our pay records, salaries, closed internal affairs reports, prior disciplinary action, training, assignments, etc.

Our DOB, SS, POV, dependants and private residence information is protected.

[SANE-A30]

It is one of our policy and procedures that we provide our name and badge number to anyone inquiring unless we are assigned to an undercover investigation. Outside of that, staff can (and has) be disciplined for refusing to comply.

Unlike a private hospital, we are public employees. We cannot hide our names. As a matter of fact, any citizen may request our pay records, salaries, closed internal affairs reports, prior disciplinary action, training, assignments, etc.

Our DOB, SS, POV, dependants and private residence information is protected.

Your pay??? that is rediculous! it's none of their business... wow I never knew that.....I wonder if that is the same for all agency's....

[esl550]

Today while I was at work I caught glimpes of the Border War Tv show, the thing that stood out the most to me was mentioning the agents first and last names..... like printed on the screen... one agent that they interviewed even stated that he was married with four kids on the show.... it just does'nt seem very safe to me to have the agents names plastered all over the tv.... JMO though....

I'm only a college student so I have little LE knowledge, but a film-major friend of mine told me once that on any reality show, including the LE ones, those who get filmed have to sign off on a release before their names or faces are shown. That's why some people's faces are blurred while other's are revealed (apparently, the blurring thing is very expensive, so entire segments can get scrapped if too many people want to be anonymous!). Anyway, my point is that whichever agent was interviewed ostensibly felt that it was safe enough to reveal that information on national television. Anyone, do correct me if I'm wrong.

[pac201]

Your pay??? that is rediculous! it's none of their business... wow I never knew that.....I wonder if that is the same for all agency's....

Yep.

[Cat_Doc]

Your pay??? that is rediculous! it's none of their business... wow I never knew that.....I wonder if that is the same for all agency's....

Well, they are the taxpayers and it is their business.

Every once in while the local newspapers will request the pay and then print the highest paid names and positions in the paper. Their intent is not always the best, but that’s the way it goes.

[SANE-A30]

ummm lol who cares if they are tax payers you are protecting the tax payers butts, keeping the community a safe place to live, it's RUDE to post that in the paper....esp if you was the lowest paid....that is pretty crappy IMO..

[Kimble]

ummm lol who cares if they are tax payers you are protecting the tax payers butts, keeping the community a safe place to live, it's RUDE to post that in the paper....esp if you was the lowest paid....that is pretty crappy IMO..

While I appreciate your viewpoint that police should have personal privacy, the average tax payer could care less if we do. They see it as "my taxes pay your salary" so we work for them, our privacy be damn. Many citizens (even most in some areas) see law enforcement as a necessary evil until the time comes when an emergency happens in their own lives, and then they need us. Just the way it is, but most cops don't become one to be praised for the job they do.

[MikeG]

Your pay??? that is rediculous! it's none of their business... wow I never knew that.....I wonder if that is the same for all agency's....

I think it's all considered FOIA material. The newspaper here maintains a database of salaries of government employees including university professors. I think just recently they limited the database to only those above a certain threshold. It's all public record but apparently if you make below the threshold, you should have privacy. I'm not sure it the paper felt the low earners should be embarassed or if the paper felt the high earners should feel guilty but they made some sort of arbitrary judgement. For police officers, they like to manufacturer scandals involving overtime and retirement. They seem to relish stories that show a 20 year patrol veteran that works a lot overtime that makes him very highly compensated. It's always protrayed as scandalous that he makes more than a highly ranked commander in the Dept. They usually leave out the fact that he worked every weekend and off-day so that he could put his kid through college or pay for his parents hospice care. That's not as scandalous as "doubling his salary by taking advantage of the system" story.