Federal Protective Service Director Gary Schenkel released the following statement in an e-mail to FPS employees.

From: FPS-Director
Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 11:30 AM
Subject: 2008 OMNIBUS BILL

It has been rare that I have been able to pass on to all of you some very good news regarding FPS. As a result of the 2008 OMNIBUS Bill, the Federal Protective Service will have, “ not fewer than 1,200 full-time equivalent staff including 900 full-time equivalent Police Officers, Inspectors, Area Commanders, and Special Agents who, while working, are directly engaged on a daily basis protecting and enforcing laws at Federal buildings (referred to as `in-service field staff’).” What this means to us is that we will be hiring 150 new GS-0080 Inspectors.

We remain a 100 percent fee-for-service organization. With this type of funding, we are restricted in the level of participation in many of our activities. Of our entire line of business, 80 percent of that is directly related to the emplacement of countermeasures, in particular the Contract Guard Program. In the spring of last year, as part of the FPS CAP, an independent contracting firm conducted four focus groups with senior members of our primary customers. Each group consistently reported that they were not satisfied with the level of attention paid to building security, existing countermeasures, contract guards, and customer service provided by the FPS. Additionally, expectations on our law enforcement capabilities continued to increase, placing a contradictory burden on our diminishing force. To that end, we charted a direction for our agency to become an Inspector-based force.

By concentrating on our core protective mission, that of protecting nearly 9,000 GSA-owned or leased facilities and their millions of tenants and visitors, through all of your efforts, we have begun to position ourselves in our rightful place as the premier physical security organization within the federal government. Together, FPS, the Burlington Finance Center (BFC) and the Consolidated Contracting Groups (CCG), paid more than 2,200 past due invoices last summer, thus enabling us to put an estimated savings in penalties of more than $1 million back into our agency, which translated to new uniforms and equipment. In 2007, again with total team effort, we were able to provide a seamless transition from one failing contract guard company to another new and stable contract company. For the first time in years, FPS has been able to recognize superior performance and individual acts through monetary awards. All of this and much more is the direct result of your hard work and dedication.

This addition of 150 new Inspectors, with their law enforcement certification, gives the necessary flexibility that will allow FPS Regional Directors, and District and Area Commanders to provide the imperative attention needed for our primary physical security core mission. These new Inspectors will have no impact on the transitioning of our GS-0083 Police Officers that qualify to become Inspectors. Nor will the new Inspectors replace any of the GS-0083 Police Officers who do not qualify or do not choose to convert. Through proper scheduling, this will allow us to provide proactive patrol and appropriate response. The addition of RAMP, a National Countermeasures Program and an increase in our K-9 program will also provide FPS with additional flexibility.

This has marked a dramatic turning point for FPS and it took all of you, your hard work and your dedication, to make it happen. I want to publicly thank ICE for their continued support of FPS, as they have been with us through extremely restrictive times. And an additional thanks to Inspector David Wright, President of AFGE Local 918, and its members for sharing the vision, keeping the faith and motivation amongst the members, and working hard to help make this happen.

Gary W. Schenkel
Director, FPS

David Wright, President of AFGE Local 918-FPS released the following statement on the AFGE Local 918 website.:

Press Release: From David Wright, President AFGE Local 918: AFGE Local 918 is pleased the Bush Administration is complying with the law enacted by Congress last year requiring the Department of Homeland Security to provide 900 law enforcement personnel at the Federal Protective Service. But we are disappointed that the Department continues to believe all of these personnel should be “Inspectors” rather than “Police Officers”. AFGE Local 918 believes that Police Officers are the first line of defense against terrorist and criminal attacks at Federal properties throughout the nation. Evidently the Department does not share that belief. I anticipate that when the Government Accounting Office report comes out in May, it will offer a more rational view of the future mission and direction of the Federal Protective Service.

In response to FPS Director Schenkel’s e-mail, AFGE Local 918 Secretary James Ward sent the following informal communication to FPS employees:

By now, many of you have seen the FPS Director’s message regarding the 2008 Omnibus Spending Bill. As Mr. Schenkel indicated, the Agency has finally decided to comply with this law and hire additional personnel. As indicated, the law requires FPS have “not fewer than 1,200 full-time equivalent staff including 900 full-time equivalent Police Officers, Inspectors, Area Commanders, and Special Agents who, while working, are directly engaged on a daily basis protecting and enforcing laws at Federal buildings (referred to as `in-service field staff’). Unfortunately, as indicated in the Director’s e-mail, the Agency will only be hiring Inspectors as it continues with its misguided and ill-advised plan to transition to an Inspector-based workforce and eliminate Police Officers despite the fact that this action will place Federal buildings, employees and visitors to these facilities at greater risk of crime and terrorist attack. This same concern is highlighted in the GAO’s recent report on its “Preliminary Observations on the Federal Protective Service’s Plan to Protect Federal Property” and has been expressed by many members of Congress.

In the GAO’s own words, “[m]any FPS officials at locations we visited believe this transition and recent staffing reductions have increased the risk of terrorist or criminal activities at some federal facilities.” Despite the concerns raised by so many, FPS continues with its Comprehensive Action Plan (CAP) which we frequently hear about but of which we have yet to see any details. On behalf of AFGE Local 918, I recently requested a copy of the FPS CAP and related documentation. The Agency’s response was that the CAP consisted of 19, 430 pages and that we would have to agree to pay $44,380.60 for a copy. Almost $45,000.00 for a copy of a plan we should all be knowledgeable of and which the Agency should be providing the union at no-cost as part of an effective labor-management relations process. Unfortunately, the Agency continues to refuse to work with the union on many issues and concerns. FPS managers continue to retaliate against union representatives and make it difficult for them to perform their representational functions.

So I am bewildered that the Director would thank the union and it’s President for “sharing the vision, keeping the faith and motivation amongst the members, and working hard to help make this happen”. The Agency has done little for FPS or its employees. It was the hard work and dedication of David Wright, our members and our lobbying and legal staff that stopped the Agency from further downsizing FPS. I personally sat before a House of Representatives Committee as the Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Jackson, along with Assistant Secretary Myers, stated that FPS would be able to operate within the funding currently available when this was clearly not the case. Agency officials had an excellent opportunity to stand with AFGE Local 918 and press Congress for more funding for FPS and a change to the antiquated funding process that currently is the primary hindrance to FPS’ ability to effectively protect Federal property.

It was AFGE alone who lobbied Congress for more money and additional personnel. The Agency eliminated our retention allowances and overtime opportunities, pressured FPS Police Officers to transition to Inspector positions or leave FPS, gave large cash bonuses to managers and effectively reduced morale to its lowest level in recent history. Make no mistake, it is Agency officials who are solely responsible for the issues that plague FPS. It is the union, with the support of its members, who fought hard to save FPS and ensure the viability of FPS to perform its mission.

This May, we can expect to see GAO’s final report on the ability of FPS to protect Federal properties. AFGE Local 918 expects that the report will continue to highlight the many shortcomings and challenges that FPS faces and will continue to face unless immediate action is taken. The union expects that Congress will hold hearings and will seek to correct the deficiencies of FPS through the legislative process to ensure that FPS can more effectively protect our Federal buildings, employees and visitors from crime and terrorist attack.

It is time for the Agency to look at the facts and realize that their plan is not working and it is placing Federal buildings at greater risk. Agency officials, who continue to implement this flawed plan to downsize FPS, cut services and otherwise reduce the effectiveness of FPS to safeguard Federal property should be held accountable. Should another attack occur, we should be able to say we did all we could and not have another Commission point out the many obvious flaws that led or contributed to the attack. With the Agency’s current plan, the union believes that we are far from doing all we can to deter and prevent another attack.

The time for change is now! AFGE Local 918 calls upon DHS, ICE and FPS Leadership to sit down with the union and work with us to come up with an effective strategy for the future. Rest assured, the union will continue to press Congress to provide the resources FPS needs to effectively accomplish our mission.

Stay Safe!

Jim W.

James P. Ward
Secretary / R2 Regional Point of Contact
AFGE Local 918-Federal Protective Service