The Federal Law Enforcement Training Accreditation (FLETA) Board is pleased to announce it granted accreditation status to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Basic Entry Specialist Training Program at the April 22, 2010 meeting in Annapolis, Maryland.
Entry Specialists are non-uniformed personnel who serve as the liaison and main overseer for assigned Customs House brokerage firms for a given port. They are the main conduit for Broker Compliance issues. Entry Specialists review the documentation and handle the mechanics of entry including, but not limited to, entry processing related to admissibility, entry, revenue collection, and use of the automated computer systems for the importation of goods such as the Automated Commercial System (ACS) and Automated Commercial Environment (ACE).
Entry Specialists have unique skills that play a vital role in the anti-terrorism effort. They develop relationships with the trade community that could provide valuable information on corrupted trade transactions. They also have the ability to thoroughly search the automated systems and build a case for suspected connections to terrorism.
FLETA Board Member Mark Logan commented on what a difficult task it is for the approximately 400 Entry Specialists to cover all the ports in the U.S. He also mentioned the large amount of training they go through, noting, “They are true professionals and the accreditation of the BEST program is testimony to the CBP’s dedication to its front-line people”.
To achieve accreditation, an agency must undergo a voluntary thorough assessment of their academy and/or program to ensure compliance with the FLETA standards. These professional standards were developed to increase agency effectiveness and efficiency. The standards address the following areas: Academy Administration; Qualifications and Development of Training Staff; Program Administration; and Program and Curriculum Development. To maintain accredited status, agencies are required to submit annual reports to the FLETA Board and participate in a reaccreditation process every three years.
The FLETA Board is nationally recognized by federal law enforcement agencies, as well as stakeholders in law enforcement training. It is the Board’s goal to improve the federal law enforcement community with each accreditation, and the Board has now awarded 36 program accreditations and 12 academy accreditations.
If you would like more information regarding the FLETA process, please visit the website at www.FLETA.gov or contact FLETA at 912-261-3684.