Letter to Chairman Leahy re: amending the qualification guidelines for the District Director positions in the U.S. Marshals Service

August 6, 2007

The Honorable Patrick J. Leahy
Chair, Senate Judiciary Committee
Washington, D.C. 20510

Dear Mr. Chairman:

On behalf of the 26,000 members of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (F.L.E.O.A.), I would like your support regarding amending the qualification guidelines for the District Director positions in the U.S. Marshals Service. In 2005, these guidelines were codified in Section 505 of the Patriot Act. However, our 2000 USMS members from across the country have made clear that the current guidelines continue to have a negative impact on the quality of the U.S. Marshal District Director selection process.

In fact, the FLEOA membership supports the position put forth by Senator Edward M. Kennedy: All candidates for these positions should meet specific criteria and have direct experience with the programs administered by the Marshals Service, such as courtroom security, witness protection, fugitive investigations, and protective services for Judges. A prime consideration should be prior supervisory law enforcement experience within the Service itself.

Undoubtedly, both the employees in the Marshals Service and the American public suffer when the District Director position is filled as a patronage consolation prize. We ask that your committee take this important matter under consideration expeditiously. Please have a member of your staff contact me to arrange a time when we can discuss this urgent matter in detail.

Sincerely,
Art Gordon
National President