Acting Chief Patrol Agent (A)CPA Jeffrey Stalnaker joined the U.S. Border Patrol in 2002 and has over 22 years of law enforcement experience. His first duty station was El Centro Station in El Centro Sector. In 2005, (A)CPA Stalnaker completed the Special Response Team Selection Course, and the following year, he completed the BORTAC Selection Course. In 2008, (A)CPA Stalnaker became a Supervisory Border Patrol Agent at Yuma Station in Yuma Sector. In 2010, he became an Operations Officer at Border Patrol Headquarters. While there, he served a one-year assignment detailed as the Adjutant to the Deputy Commissioner. In 2012, (A)CPA Stalnaker became a Field Operations Supervisor at Tucson Station in Tucson Sector. In 2014, he became the Patrol Agent in Charge of Marathon Station, where he fostered local, state, and federal relationships and led operations targeting transnational drug and human smuggling across 120 miles of coastal border. In 2016, (A)CPA Stalnaker went to Detroit Sector as an Assistant Chief Patrol Agent and shortly after arriving, became the Division Chief of Law Enforcement Operational Programs. In 2018, (A)CPA Stalnaker moved to Border Patrol Headquarters as the Associate Chief over the Operational Requirements Management Division, and then transitioned as the Associate Chief over the Policy and Compliance Division. In 2021, (A)CPA Stalnaker became the Division Chief of Law Enforcement Operational Programs at El Centro Sector. In 2022, he became the Interim Division Chief of Law Enforcement Operations at Yuma Sector and served as the Acting Deputy Chief Patrol Agent. In November of 2023, (A)CPA Stalnaker was promoted to Deputy Chief Patrol Agent of San Diego Sector before assuming his current role of (A)CPA of San Diego Sector.

Further, (A)CPA Stalnaker completed the Department of Homeland Security Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program. As part of the program, he served as the Senior Advisor to the Deputy Under Secretary of the Science and Technology Directorate at the Department of Homeland Security. (A)CPA Stalnaker also graduated from the Customs and Border Protection Leadership Institute with the University of Maryland.

(A)CPA Stalnaker obtained a bachelor’s degree with honors in Management from American Military University in 2011, a master’s degree in Military Art and Science from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College in 2013, a master’s degree with honors in Business Administration from American Military University in 2017, and a master’s degree in Defense and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College in 2022.

Prior to joining the U.S. Border Patrol, (A)CPA Stalnaker attended Arizona Western College, earning an associate in applied science degree in Welding. He also served as a volunteer fire fighter.