The Foreign Service Journal, September 2014

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER 2014 61 AFSA NEWS Agent Warns Misuse of Border Security Program Might Violate Rights AFSA CONSTRUCT I VE D I SSENT AWARDS : THE F. AL LEN “TEX” HARR I S AWARD FOR A FOREIGN SERVICE SPECIALIST For Diplomatic Security Spe- cial Agent Nick Pietrowicz, the protection of American citizens and their liberties “is our paramount duty as diplomats.” Pietrowicz is the winner of the F. Allen “Tex” Harris Award for a Foreign Service Specialist. When he was the regional security officer at Embassy N’Djamena, Pietrowicz warned that the Terrorist Interdiction Program, through which the U.S. government provides the Personal Iden- tification Secure Compari- son and Evaluation System border security system as foreign assistance to Chad and other countries at risk of terrorist activities, operates without sufficient end-use monitoring, and that foreign governments might use their PISCES systems to violate the human rights of their citizens and foreign visitors, including Americans. Like all members of the Foreign Service, Pietrowicz travels a lot. He says that as a federal agent he is very curi- ous about security measures in different airports: “That includes how those measures are implemented and what procedures are in place to respect legal and constitu- tional standards, as well as the practical consequences of such programs.” He notes that DS agents receive outstanding security training, as well as instruction on what they can and cannot do. “As RSOs overseas, we’re constantly in gray areas, and it takes a degree of self- scrutiny to make the right decisions,” he says. “I think that ethos is probably what made me take a look at this program.” After exhausting all other channels in efforts to address his concerns about the PISCES program, he sent a Dissent Channel message outlining his objections to it. In the message he raised concerns about the need to balance human rights and respect for the rule of law in U.S. programs that provide counterterrorism assistance to other countries. “Officers in the field will rarely need to worry about the legality of foreign assistance programs,” said Pietrowicz, who has a law degree. “But should an issue of concern be identified, there is a profes- sional and civic duty to report that possible impropriety through the appropriate channels.” On dissent, Pietrowicz says: “I am pleased that the department has a process so that constructive dissent can be shared openly and without fear of reprisal. I applaud AFSA’s support of this process, knowing that their interest in the Dissent Chan- nel is essential to keeping this rarely needed but important option available.” Nick Pietrowicz joined the State Department in 2002. He first served in the New York City field office, and has since been posted to Port- au-Prince, Kabul, Chisinau and N’Djamena. He is now the RSO at Embassy Luanda. He is married and has one son. n (Above) Diplomatic Security Special Agent Nick Pietrowicz in Chad, near the Niger border. (Below) Pietrowicz, second from left, observes an election in Chad. COURTESYOFNICKPIETROWICZ COURTESYOFNICKPIETROWICZ