BACKGROUND ON MY LAW ENFORCEMENT CAREER

PRE 9/11 & U.S. Department of Homeland Security

United States Secret Service (USSS) USSS Agent (1970 – 1998)

Special Agent-in-Charge, Field Office

USSS HQ Positions – Retired as Assistant Director for Administration

POST 9/11

Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) Director, Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (1998 –2002)

POST Creation of U.S. Department of Homeland Security

U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Chief of Staff, U.S. Transportation Security Administration (2002 – 2003)

Return to U.S. Secret Service (USSS) Director, United States Secret Service (2003 – 2006)

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (2006 – 2009)

“Worthy of Trust and Confidence”

Mission: The Secret Service’s Mission Set – Protection & Investigations

“The mission of the United States Secret Service is to safeguard the nation's financial infrastructure and payment systems to preserve the integrity of the economy, and to protect national leaders, visiting heads of state and government, designated sites and National Special Security Events.”

Challenges Faced

Personal

Organizational

Transformation of the Organization 1970 to 1998

Increasing reliance on law enforcement partnerships to fulfill protective mission.

Adapting to a changing threat environment even before 9/11.

The balancing act between political pressures and law enforcement responsibilities.

Career as a Special Agent in the U.S. Secret Service (USSS)

Director, Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC)

“To Train Those Who Protect Our Homeland”

Mission

The Federal Law Enforcement Training Center’s mission is to serve as an interagency law enforcement training organization for 90 U.S. Federal Law Enforcement agencies as well as to state, local, and international law enforcement agencies.

History

1970 – Consolidated Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (CFLETC). In 1970, the Consolidated Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (CFLETC) was established as a bureau of the Department of the Treasury and began training operations in temporary facilities in Washington, D.C.

1975 – Renamed Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) and relocated from Washington, D.C., to Glynco, Georgia where it’s headquarters remain today.

2003 – FLETC is transferred from the Department of the Treasury into the newly created Department of Homeland Security.

Role of FLETC Prior to 9/11 – U.S. Treasury Department

FLETC’s Role in Post 9/11 Era

Heightened emphasis on law enforcement training programs

FLETC’s integration into DHS in 2003

Director, Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC)

6 World Trade Center in the aftermath of 9/11, formerly U.S. Customs facility.

9/11: A Massive Catalyst for Change in the Law Enforcement Community

U.S. Government Takeover of Aviation Security Post 9/11= Replacing an Aircraft Engine Midflight

Delicate Balancing Act:

Security and Facilitation – Restoring confidence in U.S. aviation system in the face of post 9/11 terrorist threat. (A lesson that informed later experience as Commissioner of Customs and Border Protection)

In many ways, not too different from responsibilitiesat USSS.

Starting an Organization From Scratch

Challenges:

Recruiting and hiring a completely new workforce numbering in the tens of thousands.

Vetting / background checks – how to ensure workforce integrity?

Organizational challenges – sometimes unrealistic expectations from U.S. Congress, leadership.

Experience with Federal Air Marshalls (FAMs).

Merger into new DHS in 2003.

1st Chief of Staff for the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA)

New Territory for USSS

A Changed Post 9/11 Threat Environment.

First Presidential Trip to Active War Zone (Iraq, 2003) – Reliance on OPSEC and outside partner organizations.

Building a Surge Capacity - 2004 Elections – Tremendous operational strain on USSS – continues today with President Obama. How to surge / scale resources when needed during intense operational periods?

9/11 Refocused U.S. Imagination – How do we plan for worse case / catastrophic scenario?

Continuity of Operations Planning (COOP)

Threat Scenarios

Secure Communications

USSS Different From Future Role at CBP – At USSS, terrorist are just one of many threats to protect against.

Returning to the USSS as Director

From Many, One

Merger of 22 existing U.S. Government agencies under one department superstructure

Lessons Learned: Protecting fiefdoms at expense of mission

More than 87,000 entities at U.S. federal, state, and local level have some role in “homeland security”

DHS an attempt to achieve “unity of effort” on that front.

Creation of DHS: Changing the U.S. Law Enforcement / Intelligence Community Landscape

Different from Role as Director of USSS

As Director at USSS, took over an intact organization.

As Commissioner of CBP:

Took over largest uniformed law enforcement agency composed of 4 legacy agencies:

U.S. Customs Service – oldest law enforcement agency in country, formerly within U.S. Treasury Department.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) – formerly in Department of Agriculture.

Immigration Naturalization Service – formerly within Department of Justice.

U.S. Border Patrol – formerly within INS / DOJ

Many issues were foreign to me.

2nd Question During Confirmation hearings: “How do you feel about breaking the law?”

Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

Goal: One unified agency protecting America’s borders at and between ports of entry

Key Points:

Shift to new priority mission preventing entry of terrorists and terrorist weapons at border while ensuring integrity of important legacy missions: counternarcotics enforcement, prevention of illegal immigration, enforcing thousands of U.S. Trade Laws.

Out of Many, One – Building one CBP organizational identity out of multiple workforces thrown together overnight?

Balancing Security & Facilitation – how do we balance twin pillars of security with need for efficient movement of trade around globe? Major post 9/11 emphasis on security.

Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

CBPU.S. Customs Service

Immigration & Naturalization Service

U.S Border Patrol

Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service, U.S.

Department of Agriculture

Operational Challenges Faced:

Doubling Size of Border Patrol to over 18,000 agents – mandated by White House, Congress

Building 670 miles of tactical infrastructure

Deployment of cutting edge technology to border – only one piece of operational puzzle.

Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

THE THREE-LEGGED STOOLManpower /

Boots on the Ground

Infrastructure

Technology

Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

THE TWO PILLARS OF

Infrastructure

Security

Facilitation

Border Security Pre-9/11: Issue of National Sovereignty

Border Security Post-9/11: Issue of National Security

Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

New Priority Mission – to prevent entry of terrorists and weapons of terror into the United States.

Legacy Missions – including but not limited to :• Counternarcotics• Enforcements of hundreds of U.S. immigration laws• Enforcement of hundreds of U.S. trade laws • Collecting duties and enforcing tariffs*• Protection of intellectual property rights• Agriculture inspection at all ports of entry.

BALANCING ACT BETWEEN

Border Security Pre-9/11: Issue of National Sovereignty

Border Security Post-9/11: Issue of National Security

*CBP is the 2nd highest revenue generating agency behind the IRS.

This delicate and necessary balance

affects organizations and industries like

ISC.

Priorities as Commissioner

Intelligence – Transforming CBP into an intelligence-driven organization.

Transforming definition of intelligence post 9/11

Good consumers and providers of intel

Partnerships – Building partnerships with industry, trade community, other law enforcement agencies

Integrity

Border is highest threat environment for corruption. How do we combat this in the face of massive organizational growth?

Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

QUESTIONS?

Questions & Dialogue