see also: in January 2009:   CBP Officers Discover 957 Pounds of Marijuana in Concrete Pipes   CBP Canine Detects $600,000 Worth of Marijuana at Douglas Port   CBP Officers Seize $80,000 of Marijuana at Naco Port of Entry   Border Patrol Stops Vehicle, Leads to Meth Seizure   CBP Officers at Hidalgo/Reynosa International Bridge Seize Fake $20’s Found during Outbound Inspection   Border Patrol Agents Rescue Woman Injured in Car Accident   U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers Arrest Wanted Sex Offender ...more on cbp.gov:   CBP News Releases   Press Officers

contacts for this news release

Blaine, Wash. — U.S. Customs and Border Protection has implemented a passenger service manager program in Blaine, Washington to ensure the highest level of professionalism and increase customer service of arriving travelers.

The CBP Passenger Service Manager will be highly visible and will be the primary point of contact to address concerns travelers may have about the inspection process. The new manager will collect and evaluate reports concerning professionalism and will promote public awareness of the CBP mission through distribution of public information bulletins, brochures and comment cards.

With responsibility for both the Peace Arch and Pacific Highway ports of entry, the Blaine PSM is Supervisory Customs and Border Protection Officer Jonni Galarza; she may be contacted at (360) 332-6091.

“CBP is continuously committed to providing a professional and welcoming atmosphere for all travelers crossing in to the United States,” said Blaine Service Port Director Margaret Fearon. “With the creation of the PSM, we can improve our professionalism posture in preparation for the upcoming 2009 World Police and Fire Games and 2010 Winter Olympics.”

The Model Ports Initiative was originally established in 2006 as part of the Rice-Chertoff Initiative and have been implemented at selected ports to include: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago (O’Hare), Dallas/Ft. Worth, Detroit, Dulles, Ft. Lauderdale, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, JFK, Las Vegas, Miami, Newark, Orlando, Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Juan, Sanford, and Seattle.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.