What I find intruiging....

Let me preface this by saying I am not targetting a specific person or anyone in particular on this site.....let me repeat...this is not directed at anyone on this site.

However I find it strange the number of people that are BEAs, and the much bigger number of people trying to become BEAs in the state of California.

I mean, yes, CA has a high population....but I'm almost tempted to wonder if all the interest in becoming a BEA in a state where it is a lot harder to get licensed than most states....has anything at all to do with people wanting to get in to the whole tv show scene. Is a good amount of this interest shown by reality tv star wannabees who want to be the next big guy on the tube? Yes, I realize there are a lot of Oliver personas, and I wont even go there, but I just found this interesting. And my wonderings seem to have even been proven by more than one post about making a tv show.

I would never do a tv show, I dont care how much they paid me. And thats all I'm going to say about that.

Be safe out there...

lol... I am working with a bail bonds company and they're launching a reality TV show next month actually. Sadly, this is probably one of the reasons I'm going to stop working for them. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't mind being on TV, but there are other reasons (which I'm not going to list here) why I'm not going to be working with them anymore.

_________________
Kevin Grandon
Licensed BEA
VA DCJS# 99-189514
Vienna, VA

My interest are largely in becoming a BEA is to get criminals off the street and be a part of making my community a safer place to raise my family. I dont want to be a cop; and with the overcrowding of jails here in Vegas it seems futile to be arresting criminals just to be let out because there is no room at the Inn! Those who dont want to face their responsibilities in court, IMHO, will be caught and sent to jail by those of us who want to live in a much better criminal-less society.

The tv show gives the appearance to be an exciting job, but they dont show the episodes where the BEA might get his butt kicked or the skip gets away, do they? Of coarse not. I believe the tv show can actually hurt the profession. I am not yet a BEA but in the process. Nevada has some of the toughest hoops to jump through as well as a Psychological interview which I found out will cost me $200-$500 for one visit to be deemed competent. I am sure this process separates those show junkies from the one's who really wish to make a profession at this.

Troy

This is a very interesting thread.

First the TV show matter. Just because someone has a deal or is in production of a show, that doesn't mean it will actually get to air. Basically a producer will front the costs of actually writing, shooting and editing a couple of shows. They then will go around and knock on network or cable channels doors trying to sell the show. If no network picks up the show, its dead. If they do, the network will order a year or two of shows, 16 to 32. If the ratings are good, the show gets renewed and everybody makes money. Family Bonds on HBO lasted only one year. So all shows are not successful, even if they make it on air. I worked 30 years in tv, so I now how the system works.

I don't know what the reason is for a large number of aspiring Bail Fugitve Recovery Person's in California. Actually, the "certification" in CA is relatively easy to obtain. CA does not have a BFPR License. The requirements are:

Completion of the 12 hour Bail Agent Prelicensing Class
Completion of the 40 hour PC 832 POST Powers of Arrest Class
Completion of the now 8 hour Security Guard Powers of Arrest Class

The only qualification to take any of the above classes is to pass a criminal background check. BFRP's are not required to become a bail agent or security guard but must only attend and pass those classes. After that, they must carry proof of passing the courses when they are working as a BFRP. CA does not issue firearm permits for BFRP and the security guard exposed firearm permit is not for fugitive recovery work.

As far as getting into show business, most bail agents, me included and recovery agents, aren't that camera friendly or talented. So, for some, the image of tattooed, scared up, beefy hunter is what the general public image is anyway. So, in fact it may be only way some would make it to show biz.

Finally to Troy, if you think the jails in Vegas are full, drive down to San Bernardino County (or maybe its Riverside) in CA. Their jails are so over crowded that the sheriff is releasing everyone with a bail less than $500K unless they have serious violent charges. Talking about the futility of arresting criminals.

Tony, the more we see jails filling, which they will seeing the trend in criminal activity nation wide, there will be plenty of work for this industry. I am not sure what the future holds, but atleast I can be an active participant to my grave.

I couldn't agree more that embracing newbies (because I am one) and joining forces with them. Once I secure my license, I am hoping to start a task force here in Vegas. I know there 4 or 5 BEA's in town that get most of the work and I do not want to take away there bread and butter. But I truly believe there will increased need for bondsman and enforcers because the judicial system is too overloaded and there just isn't enough police. I also believe and have a hope that some fugitives can be rehabilitated from criminal activity and I hope we can turn a negative experience into a positive one.

troy

Troy,
I wish you well. I two was a new bail agent not too long ago. I was fortunate enough to start off in a family bail agency that was alreaddy established. I did and continue to learn as much as I can about ALL sides of the business. With that said, here are a few few points:

Actual overall reported crime is down nationwide. Serious, violent crime is stagnant.

Actual incarcerations are up nationwide.

There are 4 times times as many bail agents than there was 20 years ago.

There has been a 75% decrease in the number of defendants released on surety bail bonds over the same tme period.

When the jails get crowded, the politicians look for quick fixes. They get court orders to relieve overcrowding. They start pre trial prelease programs run by the county, paid for by the tax payers. Many are going to electronic monitoring releases. They reduce the sentences of those already convicted. ( In CA the State prisons release inmates after serving 1/2 of their time, if they behave and are not repeat or serious violent crimes. )

So you MUST keep up with the political, judicial and criminal side of the business. Be informed of every aspect of the business. Join and be active in local, state and national organizations related to bail and recovery.

There are some on this site that don't like the Professional Bail Agents of the US. But, the PBUS holds their annual conference in Vegas each year in February. Join or go as a non member. Talk with both bail and recovery agents. Find out what is going on around the country. The more you know, the better off you will be.

Thanks Tony. Yes, you are right after doing a search on crime. I will keep up on these things before I speak. Thanks for the advice.

Troy

If we talk in generalities the bail bondsmen and the bea are dieing a slow and agonizing death-ie 4 states outlawed commercial bail -the state of mass has only one bondsmen left - they use a 10 percent to the court system, it does not work as proven buy the skip rate and the 6 billion in uncolected bail(ftas) but the court keeps the 10 percent-maine allows surety bail but there are no bondsmen because the courts use pretrail release and the ror system-both vt and nh also use the ror system and the majority of bails by far are ror(yes even serious felonies)

as said before the crime rate in general has been declining for some time-the use of house arrest and electronic monitoring is growing quickly--pretrail release supervision programs are also growing-no room in the grey bar motel to keep people that cannot come up with the bail

now we come to the good stuff-a glut of problem children such as capitol bonding causing goverment to search for better systems-almost every state of the union has had problems with bondsmen-then there is bea--we are are a problem-killings(remember pittsburg pa) robberies(new jersey) shootings in school yards-threats of death to indemnitors(jd kuzma) these are just a few of the publicized problems we caused ourselves buy having unqualified untrained butchers bakers and candlestick makers amounst us

now here is another area of concern - most of our local state and federal legislators are not the most learned people(they are politicians)and tend to be very reactionary instead of proactive--just look at nj we almost lost that state for bea but not for a vocal hardworking few that stood up and showed the light at the last minute

some of you say i am afraid of the compatition - bring it on sonny-I say again no 2-3 -4 day nor 1 month or 2 month school will teach enough about this business in law- tactics-procedures to qualify you for a bea career period.while the nabea and nibe and scott harrel and lance and i give a good course we only scratch the surface-- i worry about the newbie that some greedy bondsmen(who is trying to pay this kid 3 percent) sends to make an arrest on a bad check writer and the skip pulls a cell phone and the bea shoots him because he is so high on adrenalin and wrapped way to tight and most likly scared shi-less -tommorow the liberal media spins the story making us look like some blood thirsty cowboys whos time has come and gone--instead of the integral part of the criminal justice system we are

I do believe every bea applicant nationwide should either have 2 years police backround or 2 years armed service(military) or 2 years firefighter or rescue squad or 2 years as a pi doing criminal work or 2 years as an apprentise with a licensed bea with at least 100 arrests under their belt
these people or these groups of people tend to have learned to think and react under pressure-the average person has no idea how to react to a dangerous situation and cannot learn in 3 days or 2 weeks--while i do not always agree with people on this site many are proven beas and many are not for example ruffin had a situation in another post where he lost his primary weapon and the female skip picked it up and pointed it at him if it was me she would be rotting in her grave now but Ruffin let her exit the area with out firing at her--in my opinion she posed a deadly threat to me and my crew she made the decision to die not me


i could stay here and rant and rave about newbies for hours more-you all know my opinion--straight from the hip until you have had the proper training you are a danger to me to my crew to yourself to the skip and to the public you do not belong on the street making arrests unsupervised and any bondsmen that hires you is a fool and an idiot--most bondsmen are not fools or idiots that is why it is so hard to break into this business

Big Oops,

Mr Cheney, is VP of the U.S of A. He never served in the armed forces.

My apologies!

But, most people would assume that when someone is called a "war hero," that the person referred to had served in the military.

I do not recall Mr. Cheney ever being referred to as a war hero, unless it was done by politicians for political reasons.