Cargo Security: Human Factor

Cargo Security: Human Factor

Stakeholders and their Responsibilities

Customs and Border Protection

Customs and Border Protection is the federal agency within the jurisdiction of the BTS or the Border and Transportation Security and looks to ensure law enforcement and inspections along U.S. borders (Pearcy, 1989). It operates under the jurisdiction of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). CBP employs almost 40,000 men and women in protecting the country's borders, intercepting illegal drugs and other contraband, and enforcing trade and immigration laws at the border (Swain, 2007).

Homeland Security

Homeland Security is responsible for securing the nation's borders and protecting its transportation systems (Fischer & Green, 2004). Agencies within the BTS comprise of TSA or Transportation Security Administration, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, and the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (Sweet, 2006). The BTS performs security functions previously under the direction of the U.S. Customs Service and the Immigration and Naturalization Service (Gaines & Kappeler, 2012). The Emergency Preparedness and Response Directorate (EPR) is responsible for preparing against terrorist attack and natural disasters and for overseeing necessary recoveries. The Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) is devoted to research and development necessary for preparing against and responding to potential terrorist attacks involving weapons of mass destruction (Dempsey & Forst, 2008). The Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection Directorate (IAIP) identifies and assesses intelligence information from many sources, issues warnings, and recommends preventive action (LeMay, 2007). The Management Directorate is responsible for management and personnel matters related to the work of the DHS (Brimelow, 1995).

United States Coast Guard

The Coast Guard is the part of the U.S. Armed Forces responsible for enforcing maritime laws, search-and-rescue operations at sea, interdictment of drugs and illegal aliens, protection of the marine environment, and protection of maritime borders (McDonnell, 2012). It operates as a branch of the Department of Homeland Security ...