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Return to Article: ICE tightens oversight of air marshals

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  Didn't Mr. Ridge tell everyone that the Federal Air Marshals (FAMS)were being put into ICE to provide a "surge" capability, and thereby increase the number of personnel who can take to the skies on short notice in the event of a national emergency? That being said, this whole concept makes no sense. ICE agents are criminal investigators, with no background or training in the security-guard like functions of Federal Air Marshals. ICE management even suggested eventually rotating FAMS with ICE agents, so that FAMS could have opportunities to do more than just ride planes all day. However, what wasn't explained was how FAMS would be able to investigate criminal cases, with their previous training and experience in flight security. Then again, ICE also includes the Federal Protective Service (FPS), who are the uniformed personnel who guard federal buildings. Maybe the next step will be to rotate FPS building security personnel and ICE investigators, so that FPS officers do criminal investigations, and ICE agents do building security! This is what happens when you put agencies with different missions, and nothing in common, together in one agency, such as ICE. Customs and INS investigators, FAMS, FPS, it's just an alphabet soup of agencies, with no common purpose, experience, training, or mission. Mr. Chertoff, are you paying attention?

  GovExec.com reader Posted February 3, 2005 1:19 PM
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  I agree that Mr. Mercier's exceptional credentials and those of his colleagues will be a huge benefit to this effort. What I do not understand is why The FAMS are organized into units referred to as Special Agents in Charge (SACs). It is my understanding that neither the "SACs" themselves, nor FAMS are employed by the Government as Special Agents or Criminal Investigators. As a legitimate Special Agent who has attained a degree of success during his distinguished career, perhaps Mr. Mercier can get to the bottom of this issue and redefine not the job descriptions, but the titles of these modern day air marshals.

  GovExec.com reader Posted February 2, 2005 7:55 PM
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  Career path in ICE for FAMs? You've got to be kidding. These guys are security guards on planes and are already overpaid. They bring no investigative skills or training to ICE. They are neither immigration or customs officers. Their best career path would be a path right back to TSA where their job actually matches the mission of the agency.

  GovExec.com reader Posted February 2, 2005 2:17 PM
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  I applaud Mr. Garcia's appointment of an advisory board to oversee the FAMs. FAMs' rapid expansion has caused many problems with hiring both at the working level and the supervisory level. The selection of Rick Mercier to this board is outstanding. Mr. Mercier brings to the table 35 years of Federal law enforcement experience. He was one of the original U.S. Customs Security Officer's commonly known as Sky Marshals in 1971. As a pioneer in the Sky/Air Marshal arena the Customs Service called upon Mr. Mercier in 2001 to spearhead the U.S. Customs rapid mobilization to augment the FAMs after 9/11. Mr. Mercier's experience as a Customs Attaché in Canada will be an asset in dealing with concerns on international flights and operations. Mr. Mercier and the rest of the board will be able to address the FAMs problems by bringing to the table a vast array of real law enforcement experience. John Clark a former Customs SAC and ICE Director of Investigations and Felix Jimenez a former DEA SAC now FAM SAC will also bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the team.

  GovExec.com reader Posted February 1, 2005 6:19 PM
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  I'm not an Air Marshal, but if I were, I would do what most of them do now and ignore Thomas Quinn's dress code. This is an issue of personal safety and security, as the potential for anyone to identify an Air Marshal onboard a plane puts that Air Marshal as well as the entire plane at risk. Quinn's dress code is therefore reckless and contemptible. The ONLY people who would ever obey Quinn are those who are willing to sacrifice their safety as well as the safety of the passengers on the plane. Are these the type of people who are cut out to hold such a security-sensitive position? More power to the majority of those Air Marshals who intelligently disregard such unjustifiable rules. Quinn would be better off as a Halloween costume designer than as the head of a law enforcement agency.

  Many of the Air Marshals who have come on board in the last several years have also gotten the shaft with their working conditions. Many Air Marshals I know were brought on the job with the promise of 4-day work weeks by the agency, seeing as many of their work days fall on weekends and are extremely long. The agency reneged on this promise, and now these people are stuck with a job they might not have taken had they not been given the 4-day work week guarantee to begin with.

  GovExec.com reader Posted February 1, 2005 4:46 PM