CBPMore significant CBP leadership changes: Possible reorganization
Recently rocked by the largest scandal in its history, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) appears to be making significant personnel changes in recent months. There are also rumors of a major agency reorganization, rumors which have not been denied by agency leadership. Presumably such changes at CBP would be grounded in and address James F. Tomsheck’s allegations which find support in a number of government reports about significant problems at CBP. These institutional problems include increased employee violence, graft, and corruption as well as an institutional failure at CBP IA to investigate charges against its own employees.
Recently rocked by the largest scandal in its history, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) appears to be making significant personnel changes in recent months. There are also rumors of a major agency reorganization, rumors which have not been denied by agency leadership.
After the FBI’s Mark A. Morgan, deputy assistant director for inspections, temporarily replaced senior executive James F. Tomsheck at CBP’s Internal Affairs, there have been an unusual number of retirements, early retirements, transfers, and new appointments at our biggest federal law enforcement agency.
Tomsheck was suddenly replaced in July 2014, and immediately sought protection under the Whistleblowers Protection Act. At the time he made a number of allegations including violence, corruption, and graft among his superiors at CBP and the 40,000 Customs Officers and Border Patrol agents, the majority of whom are stationed along the Mexican border. Tomsheck recently said he was forced to retire from his leadership position CBP IA because he continually pushed for fair and timely investigations of criminal allegations against CBP employees. (Anna Werner and Laura Strickler, “’Disturbing’ sex abuse within agency that patrols U.S. border, says former top official,” CBS News, 4 May 2015).
—————————————————————————————————————-
Also see the following by Robert Lee Maril:
“Violence and corruption scandal at CBP: FBI clean up or cover up? Pt. 6,” HSNW, 17 June 2015
“CBP IA Operation Hometown reduces violence and corruption: Tomsheck shuts it down — Pt. 5,” HSNW, 27 April 2015
“CBP IA’s SAREX: Tomsheck’s program goes rogue – Pt. 4,” HSNW, 18 February 2015
“Tomsheck’s ‘July Amnesty’: CBP IA loses hundreds of cases alleging criminal activity by CBP Employees — Pt. 3,” HSNW, 12 January 2015
“James F. Tomscheck forced disabled veteran from CBP IA – Pt. 2,” HSNW, 24 November 2014
“Vet alleges supervisors at CBP IA ignored his disability: ‘He Just needed an ounce of compassion’” — Pt. 1,” HSNW, 28 October 2014
—————————————————————————————————————-
A year after Tomsheck was demoted and eventually forced to retire, Matthew Klein was appointed to Tomsheck’s position as the head of CBP IA. Klein is an outside hire, very rare in agency history, apparently brought in to fix some of the problems identified by Tomsheck (Interim Report of the CBP Integrity Advisory Panel, Homeland Security Advisory Council, 29 June 2015.
