Combating illegal narcotics trafficking requires coordinated efforts across the law enforcement community. Watch how the Federal Bureau of Investigations works with other law enforcement components on the FBI Joint Opioid and Darknet Enforcement (JCODE) team.

Combating illegal narcotics trafficking requires coordinated efforts across the law enforcement community. Watch how the Federal Bureau of Investigations works with other law enforcement components on the FBI Joint Opioid and Darknet Enforcement (JCODE) team.

A coalition of associations representing government managers wrote a letter to the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force expressing concern over a lack of proper guidance and clear-cut lines of communication for implementing COVID-19 testing and vaccination requirements.

Agencies are to allow employees up to 4 hours of administrative leave to get a COVID-19 vaccination, and up to 2 days of administrative leave following a dose resulting in an adverse reaction, according to the latest guidance from the White House Safer Federal Workforce Task Force released on August 25.

President Joe Biden submitted an alternative pay plan to congressional leaders on August 27 authorizing a 2.7 percent pay raise for most general schedule civilian employees. The raise is effective January 1, 2022.

According to Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) data, instances of hate crime in the United States have risen to the highest number in 12 years. A portion of this increase is due to attacks against Black and Asian Americans. The 2020 data was submitted to the FBI by more than 15,000 law enforcement agencies across the country. The data identified 7,759 hate-crimes in 2020.

This year, the Women in Federal Law Enforcement (WIFLE) 21st Annual Leadership Training took place in Tampa, FL from August 16-19th. The theme was Real Talk: How to Address Law Enforcement Challenges Through Collective Strength. Over 200 women attended the training.

One training session that took place at the Women in Federal Law Enforcement (WIFLE) 21st Annual Leadership Training was called “Blue Suicide Survivors” led by Shelley Jones, Executive Director of the Survivors of Blue Suicide Foundation (SBS).

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) recently released a guide to help current and prospective cyber professionals chart their careers. This guide comes out in conjunction with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)’s announcement of the launch of the Cyber Talent Management System. This system is meant to give hiring managers more pay flexibility to bring skilled cyber employees into the federal government while bypassing USAjobs.

The DOJ Gender Equality Network (DOJ GEN) recently called on the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to stop permitting hiring managers to ask for an applicant’s salary history when hiring. Last year, six Department of Justice (DOJ) employee associations wrote a letter to DOJ component leaders calling for an end to this practice, but the Justice Management Division responded, saying that the practice was justified under federal hiring regulations.

The Safer Federal Workforce Task Force, launched by President Biden to guide federal agencies on safety protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic, announced in updated guidance that agencies need to ask about the vaccination status of federal workers, who could face consequences for providing false information but may decline to answer.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) issued a management advisory memorandum to leaders at the Justice Management Division (JMD) identifying a number of concerns with human resources policies and data. The memo notes several continued deficiencies initially identified in DOJ OIG’s October 2020 report on enhancing human capital titled “Top Management and Performance Challenges Facing the Department of Justice 2020.”

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced in a press release last week that it is launching an initial body worn camera program. CBP has begun outfitting an initial group of officers and agents with body worn cameras to enhance accountability and transparency in its policing.

On the morning of August 3, 2021, Pentagon Force Protection Agency (PFPA) Officer George Gonzalez was killed during an attack while stationed at the Metrobus platform outside the Pentagon.

An August 2021 report released by the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs found that out of the eight agencies audited, only the Department of Homeland Security showed improvements in its cybersecurity program since a 2019 Senate report which “highlighted systemic failures of eight key federal agencies to comply with federal cybersecurity standards.”

President Biden’s nominees to fill key roles within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) are advancing in the Senate. The Senate confirmed Ur Jaddou as the new director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on July 30 on a 47-34 party-line vote.

On Thursday afternoon, the Biden administration announced a requirement that all federal employees and contractors show proof of vaccination or submit to regular COVID-19 tests, wear masks, and physically distance from others while at work.

According to a Department of Justice press release dated July 22, 2021, the DOJ has launched five cross-jurisdictional firearms trafficking strike forces to address violent crime and crack down on sources of crime guns.

In a July 13, 2021 press release, President Biden announced his intent to nominate Dr. Rahul Gupta to be Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), a position also known as drug czar.

Harris County, TX Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, President Biden’s pick to lead Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), appeared before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs in a July 15, 2021 hearing to field questions about his suitability for the role.