ALBUQUERQUE, N.M -- U.S. Customs and Border Protection Albuquerque Port Director Steven Carman was sworn into office September 22 during a formal change of command ceremony. Family, friends, colleagues and local dignitaries attended the event at the Albuquerque International Airport.
The ceremony included the CBP Honor Guard posting the colors, the national anthem and remarks from El Paso Director of Field Operations Hector Mancha. The ceremony also included the passing of the El Paso Field Office guidon from outgoing acting port director Louie Chavez to DFO Mancha and then to Mr. Carman. After accepting the guidon Mr. Carman was administered the CBP oath of office by DFO Mancha. The new Port Director then addressed the audience.
“I look forward to this new challenge and can say it will be an honor to lead the men and women who work hard every day in furthering CBP’s vital homeland security mission,” said CBP Albuquerque Port Director Steven Carman. “CBP and the Albuquerque port of entry play an important role in safeguarding our nation while also maintaining the flow of legitimate trade and travel.”
Steve Carman started his federal career in 2003 as a U.S. Customs Officer in Eastport, Idaho just prior to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection merger. During his time as an officer at Eastport, he wore many hats while working both the cargo and passenger environments; including Automated Cargo Environment Ambassador and Security Control Officer. He also worked in the Anti-Terrorism Contraband Enforcement Team and as a Designated Intelligence Officer. Mr. Carman was promoted to supervisor in 2011 and also served as the Field Training Officer during that time. In 2015 he was promoted to Chief CBPO for the Port of Eastport.
Mr. Carman has served on multiple temporary duty assignments to include National Targeting Center (NTC) - Passenger, NTC – Cargo, Container Security Initiative Division, the opening of port operations in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) which encompasses Saipan, and the World Acadian Congress in Maine. Mr. Carman has also served on the International Affairs Jump Team and had the privilege to provide Rail Interdiction training in the countries of Kazakhstan and Macedonia.
Steven Carman was born and raised in the state of Maine and attended Lincoln University in Missouri where he majored in English Education. He also attended the Law Enforcement Training Institute at the University of Missouri and started his law enforcement career as a police officer in Missouri and was later promoted to Sergeant and Assistant Chief at the Wellsville Police Department. Mr. Carman also served as a State Law Enforcement Park Ranger with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
In his new role as Albuquerque port director Mr. Carman will work to ensure that the agency’s primary mission of preventing terrorists or weapons of terror from entering the United States is accomplished on a daily basis. Mr. Carman is also responsible for all immigration issues related to the admission and exclusion of people applying for entry into the United States. He also is responsible for customs and agriculture inspections at the ports of entry to ensure that all goods and people entering the United States do so in accordance with our laws and regulations, while ensuring that they are facilitated in their processing to support the global market place and the international tourism industries.
CBP Field Operations in 2008 adopted formal change of command ceremonies as a way to unify the workforce and highlight the agency mission. Since its inception in March 2003, CBP has developed and implemented standards, policies and symbols to advance the internal and external recognition of the agency and to demonstrate the strides the agency has made as the guardians of the nation’s borders. The change of command ceremony is designed to meet those goals.