BLAINE — U.S. Customs and Border Protection in the Pacific Northwest plans to offer a seven-week citizens academy in the Port Angeles area sometime before the end of the year.
No date has been set for the class, said Border Patrol Blaine Sector spokesman Richard Sinks in a prepared statement.
But those interested in such an academy are urged to contact him.
“We are always taking applications for future academies, including one planned on the Olympic Peninsula prior to the end of this year,” he said.
The seven-week academies, which have been held in Whatcom County, are “for those interested in learning more about out mission,” Sinks said in the statement.
Attendees learn about the Border Patrol, which operates between the ports of entry; the Office of Field Operations, operating at the ports of entry; and the Office of Air and Marine, which covers land and sea.
The academy also covers some legal and operational aspects of the CBP mission to provide participants with a first-hand experience of the equipment used by CBP officers and agents everyday, Sinks said.
The academy consists of one two-to-three hour class each week for seven consecutive weeks.
The academies are open to anyone 18 or older. Admission is free, but seating is limited.
Selection is on a first-come, first-served basis.
A limited background check will be conducted on each applicant prior to being selected, Sinks said.
Those who want to considered for a future class can contact Sinks at 360-332-9255 or send an email to blwbordercommunityliaison@cbp.dhs.gov.
Customs and Border Protection, an agency within the federal Department of Homeland Security, is charged with the management, control and protection of the nation’s borders at and between official ports of entry.