Looking After Our Border Patrol Officers

The rush to pay INS Border Patrol agents and inspectors a salary more in line with their colleagues in other areas of federal law enforcement is a good idea (“Close the INS Pay Gap,” editorial, Aug. 12). Another good idea would be to contact the agents and inspectors who left with an open invitation to return to the INS. The Federal Aviation Administration targeted Border Patrol agents and inspectors because it could put them on the job in three weeks, as opposed to having to send someone off the street to an eight-week federal law enforcement academy.

This shortsighted effort took officers who were trained over a 20-week period and further trained on the job from one the most difficult and important positions we have in defense of our country.

Greg Meinhardt

Pasadena