Spotlights

Twenty-three names read aloud. Twenty-three colleagues lost in the line of duty. Twenty-three families left to mourn, but not left alone and not forgotten. Twenty-three lives memorialized during U.S Customs and Border Protection’s National Police Week and Valor Memorial and Wreath Laying Ceremony at the agency’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., Oct. 15. Some of the names were recent; some were from CBP’s legacy agencies more than 100 years ago. But all were remembered. “We come together during National Police Week to honor our fallen, to mourn our lost brothers and sisters, and to grieve…

Thousands of twinkling lights memorializing the fallen glistened on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., as dusk settled over the nation’s capital on Thursday evening. Employees from U.S. Customs and Border Protection and thousands of other law enforcement personnel from across the country gathered with family and friends at the 33rd Annual Candlelight Vigil to remember their colleagues and loved ones who had died in the line of duty. The vigil, held on Oct. 14, was a special tribute to 701 fallen officers whose names were read during the ceremony this year and etched on the walls of the...

New Border Patrol Processing Coordinators have Early Impact on Operations After completing 36 training days and 288 training hours, the fifth class of the U.S. Border Patrol Processing Coordinators (BPPC) proudly received their badge and credentials on Sept. 21, 2021 excited for what they just accomplished as well as for the mission ahead. This time last year, the position did not exist. One year later, there are now 160 BPPCs supporting operations in each of the nine southwest border sectors with more classes currently going through training and plans to grow to 1,200 over the next three...

As America continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Customs and Border Protection hosted its second Virtual Trade Week, July 20-22, bringing its industry and government partners together. The three-day event, which drew nearly 3,000 registered attendees, emphasized strengthening America’s economic growth through partnerships. “As we collectively exhale from 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic, I think it’s important to take stock of everything we’ve been through,” said CBP Acting Commissioner Troy A. Miller in his welcoming address. “We’ve seen a lot of change in our country in the...

Chief among the benefits of hiring persons with disabilities is that they work twice as hard as anyone else, says Cherri King, an HR correspondence analyst. “Give us a chance. Be open-minded!” says King.

Almost two years ago, U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Field Operations (OFO) wanted to understand ways to better attract, retain and advance female officers. Leadership found that female officers thrived when they had visible female leadership, mentorship and support systems. These insights inspired the creation of OFO’s Law Enforcement, Leadership, and Legacy (3L) Alliance Program. The 3L Alliance Program creates a space for female officers to meet monthly and openly discuss career development opportunities, successes, challenges and other significant career moments...

Have you ever wondered how you can become a U.S. attaché, serving your country while working overseas? For U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Attaché Amy Cloud, becoming an International Relations Specialist (IRS) paved the way. Cloud gained valuable experience as an IRS, leading to further exciting opportunities such as helping create the first border police in Costa Rica. She also visited every Central American country more than once, sometimes with high level leadership, speaking in front of private sector groups, visiting ports, organizing a conference and meeting the president of...

As the first days of summer began to unfold, the 15th term of Customs and Border Protection’s trade advisory committee came to a close. Members of the Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee, known as COAC, convened virtually for their last public meeting on June 23, signaling a time of endings and new beginnings. “This is the final meeting of the 15th COAC and there are 12 of us who will be jumping off and handing the baton to the next team for the 16th term,” said Lenny Feldman, one of the COAC trade co-chairs and a senior member of the Sandler, Travis, & Rosenberg law firm. “…

Since his first ride-along with a local police department, Supervisory Marine Interdiction Agent Cleon Arrington was hooked on law enforcement. By the age of 22, he was pinning on a badge and wearing his passion for protecting his community. His love of safeguarding and serving others encouraged him to start his own security company as a side hustle, which gained the attention of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Arrington was originally contacted by a Border Patrol recruiter and found himself in short order at the Border Patrol Academy, where he began to hear about Air and Marine…

Air Interdiction Agent (AIA) Presley Rose recalled her first encounter with U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Air and Marine Operations (AMO) at a job she had as a flight instructor. After seeing an AMO helicopter land, she introduced herself to the AIAs. The agents gladly answered her questions on becoming an AMO pilot and in two minutes she was hooked. “When someone is passionate about something it compels you to listen and want to know why.” Rose quickly learned that as a pilot with AMO she could combine aviation and law enforcement – something that she also wanted to pursue...