Employees are required to report to the Joint Intake Center (JIC) instances in which they are arrested, cited, detained, or indicted for violations of law. For ease of discussion, these incidents are collectively referred to as arrests. Despite this requirement, employees sometimes delay reporting and/or fail to report such arrests. As a result, the data represents all reported arrests as of the date the data was queried. As arrests are reported to the JIC, identified via Office of Professional Responsibility's (OPR) continuous evaluation program or through additional case research, they are added to the appropriate fiscal year (FY).
All reported arrests of CBP employees are classified into one of 16 categories according to the nature of the offense. With the exception of Corruption, the totals in each category reflect criminal activity and subsequent arrests that took place during the respective FY. While the arrests and indictments in the Corruption category took place in the fiscal year, they are typically the result of complex investigations of criminal activity that may span multiple FYs.
For additional context, the table below includes the count of CBP employees as of the end of each FY. With an average of approximately 62,400 employees, CBP is the largest law enforcement agency in the country. Less than one percent of CBP employees are arrested for alleged offenses. CBP employs a rigorous hiring process, which includes a full background investigation for all applicants and a polygraph examination for all law enforcement officer positions.
Data is extracted from live CBP systems and data sources. Statistical information is subject to change due to corrections, additional information, or incidents pending final review.
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Count of CBP Employees (End of FY Numbers)1
| FY 2020 | FY 2021 | FY2022 | FY2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63,685 | 64,272 | 63,938 | 64,992 |
1 Source: Consolidated Personnel Reporting, Online as of 10/23/2023.
Comparative analysis is unavailable due to the lack of comprehensive, standardized, empirical data on arrests of law enforcement officers nationwide at the federal, state, or local level.