SAN LUIS, Ariz. – U.S. Customs and Border Protection Port Director John A. Schwamm was formally sworn into office August 21 during a change of command ceremony held at the San Luis Cultural Center.
Family, friends, colleagues and local dignitaries gathered as Schwamm recited the oath of office administered by Arizona Joint Field Command Deputy Commander Mitchell Merriam.
John A. Schwamm-Port of San Luis, Ariz. Port Director
“I am very excited about this new assignment,” said Schwamm. “I look forward to working with our partners on both sides of the border and the community stakeholders. My overall goal is to shepherd the Port of San Luis into a positive future.”
As the San Luis Port Director, Schwamm will oversee operations and enforcement activities at the port, which is one of eight within the Tucson Field Office. Each year, port personnel process 7.3 million people, more than 3 million private vehicles and 34,000-plus commercial trucks – representing approximately $1.2 billion in international trade.
Schwamm has more than 35 years of law enforcement experience, which includes 29 years in federal law enforcement and nine years as a police sergeant/tactical firearms instructor with the Nogales Police Department. His previous assignments include chief inspector at the Port of San Luis from 1999 to March 2003, and supervisory customs inspector at the Port of Douglas, Arizona, from 1992 to 1999.
Schwamm began his federal government service with the former U.S. Customs Service in 1985 at the Port of Douglas before transferring to the Port of Nogales in November 1986, where he served until August 1988. In addition to serving in a number of assignments in Arizona and California, he also served at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Academy and CBP Headquarters in Washington D.C.