Professional Standards and Resource Development

Opening quote: All candidate Inspectors must successfully complete academic, firearms, and practical exercises to graduate from Basic Training.

Career Development Division

The Career Development Division (CDD) of the Postal Inspection Service provides basic training for candidate Postal Inspectors, in-service training comprising refresher and specialized courses for all Inspection Service personnel, and certification for threat management instructors. Located at the William F. Bolger Center for Leadership Development in Potomac, Maryland, CDD's large campus offers the advanced features of an elite law enforcement training program, with dormitory, dining, classroom, fitness, and firearms facilities.

Inspector candidates undergo 13 weeks of scenario-based training that covers investigative techniques, defensive tactics, firearms, legal matters, search and seizure, arrest techniques, court procedures, postal operations and a detailed study of the federal laws over which the Postal Inspection Service has jurisdiction. Training focuses on problem-solving abilities, critical thinking, and cognitive skills. All candidate Inspectors must successfully complete academic, firearms, and practical exercises to graduate from Basic Training.

Upon successful completion of the program, new Postal Inspectors participate in four to six months of formal, post-basic training, designed and monitored by CDD and administered at an assigned Inspection Service field location. Post-basic training is administered by experienced Postal Inspectors and includes at least two weeks of assessed field training in each functional area for a minimum of 400 hours. New Inspectors spend a minimum of 200 hours in their initial assignment under the direct supervision of a team leader or senior Inspector. During the year, CDD successfully graduated four Inspector classes: on April 26, July 3, September 13, and November 1, 2002.

Postal Police Officers (PPOs) undergo a 10-week basic training course at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) at Glynco, Georgia. During FY 2002, one class of 48 PPO candidates completed training at FLETC. Another class of 48 PPO candidates was started and is expected to graduate on September 30, 2002. The Postal Inspection Service also sponsored supervisory and management training at FLETC for 14 employees.

CDD co-sponsored training for 847 Postal Inspection Service employees, including the first Mail Fraud-Asset Forfeiture training offered since 1997. Work continues on e-Training methodology in a pilot project sponsored jointly by the Inspection Service and FLETC. At the FLETC Web site, Inspection Service employees are authorized to access more than 1,000 online training courses anytime, anyplace, and anywhere. Course development and learning management opportunities are also available at the site.

Human Resource Performance and Career Development Division staff members revised the Needs Analysis process for FY 2003. Information compiled from the survey will facilitate planning and funding for training in the next fiscal year.

Strategic Planning and Management Process

Strategic Planning and Management Process (SP&MP) coordinates Postal Inspection Service efforts in preparing goals, strategies, and objectives to carry out its mission and respond effectively to short- and long-term challenges. During FY 2002, SP&MP staff led the Inspection Service through its planning cycle by developing the Annual Performance Plan, which sets forth national objectives for the coming fiscal year, tracks performance toward achieving objectives using a National Scorecard system, and communicates results in the Annual Performance Report.

SP&MP staff members worked with the Postal Service's Office of Strategic Planning to ensure that Inspection Service initiatives supported corporate goals. A liaison with the Postal Service's Transformation Team was established to identify Inspection Service strategies addressing future needs of the Postal Service.

In addition to traditional strategic planning duties, group members contributed significantly to the development of employee safety initiatives related to the anthrax crisis. SP&MP led and coordinated a mail screening process to target suspicious letters during the height of the anthrax investigation. Inspectors worked closely with postal operations and engineering managers to develop a process that would examine targeted mailpieces. SP&MP was also responsible for ensuring that all Inspection Service employees at National Headquarters in Washington, DC, that may have been impacted by the anthrax contamination at the Brentwood facility were provided with available medical information and treatment options.

Human Resource Performance

Human Resource Performance comprises Inspection Service Operations Support Groups (ISOSGs) in Newark, New Jersey, and South San Francisco, California; and the Executive Leadership Resources, Training Assessment, Workforce Strategic Planning, and Employee Development units at National Headquarters. Staff members implement training initiatives and employee development programs and processes, perform succession planning, and coordinate job developmental opportunities and temporary "detail" assignments.

Employee Development

During FY 2002, Employee Development staff revised its teambuilding curriculum, "Using Differences to Build Effective Teams," to include instructional systems design, adult learning principles, and the Personal Insights Profile. The course offers a two-day session on teambuilding activities for student Inspectors during their first week of Basic Training at the Career Development Center.

Master Facilitator staff was reduced in FY 2002 due to attrition, career advancement, and job reassignments. In response, the Employee Development unit opened recruiting for new facilitators and offered Facilitator Training Certification instruction for five new applicants, bringing the total to 17 Master Facilitators.

Human Resource Performance staff convened subject-matter experts to develop functional supervisory training, which included self-study modules and corresponding on-the-job instructional (OJI) components.

Staff members also initiated a job analysis of three division-support positions--Inspection Service Operations Technician, Inspection Service Operations Coordinator, and Administrative Support Specialist. The effort involved preparing lists of tasks and knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) for each of the three positions and then validating the lists through surveys of subject-matter experts, comprising position incumbents and supervisors, from field sites.

Executive Leadership Resources

During FY 2002, the selection process for Assistant Inspector in Charge positions (ISLE-15s) was re-engineered to better identify employees who have demonstrated key competencies needed for job success. The Competency Review Panel now reviews applications for ISLE-15 vacancies during one of the three "open seasons," when applicants submit a Postal Service job application, written narratives addressing ISLE-15 competencies, and a recent executive assessment. The Competency Review Panel recommends employees who qualify for ISLE-15 vacancies. The Competency Review Panel interviews applicants for specific positions and recommends the best qualified to selecting officials.

Workforce Strategic Planning was refocused in FY 2002 to emphasize human resource data collection, analysis, and display to aid in management decision-making. Managers will be able to access data on costs per hire, turnover rates, and promotions. The new approach will be applied to several areas of human resource planning in the next fiscal year, and allows for continued expansion.

Quote: The Deputy Chief Inspector of Western Field Operations and Postal Inspectors staffed a Postal Inspection Service informational booth at the 2002 National Asian Police Officers Association (NAPOA) Training Conference.

Quote: (Photo of) Basic Inspector Training Class.

Process Analysis and Improvement

In FY 2002, staff members analyzed human resource processes to identify any areas that are not meeting corporate expectations. The recruitment process for hiring new Inspectors was the first process analyzed. Step-by-step and overall cycle times for application procedures were developed, as well as a schedule for processing projected 2003 applicants. Staff are currently evaluating a standard application process for implementation in the next fiscal year.

Finance and Administrative Services

The Finance and Administrative Services (FAS) group oversees the planning, administration and reporting of the national and capital budgets of the Postal Inspection Service. FAS streamlines decision-making for Inspection Service managers by supplying them with detailed financial analyses, forecasting data and cost-accounting reports, thereby helping ensure the financial stability of the Postal Inspection Service.

While FAS dedicates the majority of its efforts to the budget process, the group is also responsible for managing the Postal Inspection Service's administrative programs. These include the vehicle fleet program, employee timekeeping program, national asset tracking system, travel and relocation program, health and medical exams, credit card program and facility project and space administration. FAS staff monitors and evaluates the programs through modeling and cost-benefit analysis.

FAS staff also oversees the Postal Inspection Service's general office services at National Headquarters, including office machine maintenance, mailroom services, office space requirements and office supply and furnishing procurements.

2002 National Leadership and Training Conference

The National Leadership and Training Conference, held in Washington, DC, from August 20 through 22, 2002, was attended by more than 550 Postal Inspection Service executives, managers, supervisors, administrative support, and Security Force managers. Three, one-day meetings of administrative specialists, Postal Police Managers, and Assistant Inspectors in Charge were held the day before the conference began to take advantage of the presence of out-of-town attendees.

Four programs offered on the opening day of the conference included a Security Communications Initiative Open House, Forensic and Technical Services Open House (with a display of new equipment), a Career Development Division "eLearning" demonstration, and an overview of the Collection-Delivery Equipment Security Initiative. Informative workshops and general sessions focused on enhancing the technical and developmental skills of current and future leaders of the Postal Inspection Service.

The Postmaster General offered the keynote address at the opening session. A variety of workshops and general sessions provided insights on evidence and case management, coaching and related management skills, stress handling, legal concerns, and personnel issues. Headquarters groups offered workshops in their functional areas. During one of the general sessions, U.S. Attorney James Comey of the Southern District of New York captivated the audience with insightful remarks on how to further enhance relationships between the Inspection Service and U.S. Attorney's Offices nationwide. In one of his last official acts before retirement, Postal Governor Einar V. Dhyrkopp addressed the conference at the closing banquet. Overall, the meetings provided an excellent networking and training venue for Postal Inspection Service leaders from across the country.

Quote: Postmaster General Jack Potter adressed Postal Inspectors at various conferences and training sessions.