The Foreign Service Journal, June 2010

access to services in an illegal or improper manner. The initial focus of the CID and its predecessor, the Vulnerability Assessment Unit, was on working with DS to support consular mal- feasance casework with information and expert analysis. As this effort began to mature, a significant num- ber of anecdotal “lessons learn- ed” emerged. This naturally led to a push to share these lessons with the field through formal guidance and training. In October 2008, the Bureau of Consular Affairs broadened CID’s mandate to include domestic passport operations. CA also formalized the process for incorpo- rating the lessons learned from past incidents into policy, training, systems and oversight. Today the CID team consists of 14 full-time positions, including Foreign Service consular general- ists, DS special agents, and Civil Service professionals from both CA and DS. The unit’s mission is to analyze what we need in our systems, pro- cedures and our management; to document those requirements; and to follow through by constantly scru- tinizing consular operations for vul- nerabilities. Our analysis reveals four trends that are strongly cor- related to acts of malfeasance. Ethics and Personal Conduct. In most of the cases analyzed, offenders did not appear to have had criminal intentions when they began their careers. Most of them began on the right path, only to stray later (in some 32 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / J U N E 2 0 1 0 F O C U S While criminal prosecutions are typically high-profile and garner significant press attention, they are only a small part of CID’s overall effort. How to Model Integrity • Get trained. Even if you’re a seasoned veteran who has taken the consular section chief course or the advanced consular course, served as a section chief or been a consular country coordinator, update your training regularly. Malfeasance most often occurs under the watch of managers who mean well, but do not have any recent training and have not kept up with our changing consular world. The Foreign Service Institute’s Consular Training Division offers dozens of classroom and online courses for consular em- ployees to “learn constantly” throughout their careers. • Be transparent. If there’s any room for debate at all, just say “no” to gifts or other consideration. Recuse yourself from han- dling matters that others might perceive as a conflict of interest. Clearly articulate this expectation to your staff, and model integrity for them daily. • Be consistent. Follow proper procedures, even when they are a challenge or when there is an easier route. Waive or expe- dite appointments solely for reasons prescribed in a written post policy based on department priorities. Only accept proper refer- rals. Follow cashiering procedures to the letter. When proce- dures don’t make sense, or if they are impossible to meet because they are unrealistic, seek guidance from your supervisor and the department, and advocate for changes. • Trust, but verify. Sometimes temptation is too great for any- one to bear. Pay attention to what is going on in your section. Conduct random spot checks. Get out of your office and talk to your team. Doing this not only shows that you care about them and their work; it shows that you are paying attention. • Call home, early and often. If you have questions about pol- icy or procedures, or if you observe a problem or encounter un- explained computer issues, seek guidance from CA. If you have concerns about employee misconduct or malfeasance, you must both report it up your chain of command and make sure that CA is looped in right away. • Manage relationships. While strict adherence to policy and procedure is vital, it’s not a license to disregard the rest of the mission. The visa process is, after all, a “foreign policy tool.” Reconcile this by reaching out to colleagues early and often, ed- ucating them about what your team does, the visa referral system, and why transparency is so very important in our work. • Be a good example. Remember that consular work is the training ground of the Foreign Service. All State generalists enter the department through a consular assignment. The examples they see from consular managers will shape the type of managers — and the type of officers — they will become. Maximize use of CA’s Leadership Initiatives, including the Consular Leadership Tenets.