Local officials praise new Border Patrol chief
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The appointment Thursday of U.S. Border Patrol Chief Carla L. Provost was immediately hailed by agency officials from El Centro and Yuma, where Provost had previously served in command staff positions.
Provost had served as the El Centro Sector’s chief patrol agent between 2013 and 2015, before moving on to serve as CBP deputy assistant commissioner of Internal Affairs in Washington, D.C.
“Here in El Centro, we are happy to hear of her appointment as the new Chief of the United States Border Patrol,” said El Centro Sector Assistant Chief David Kim in an email. “Her leadership here contributed greatly to securing our section of the border and strengthening our bonds with the community.
“She was a strong advocate for the men and women of the El Centro Sector Border Patrol and will undoubtedly continue that advocacy for all Border Patrol employees as our new Chief.”
News of Provost’s official appointment on Thursday was also commemorated by supportive announcements from the Twitter accounts of both the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s El Centro Sector and Arizona sectors.
“#CBPElCentro #USBP knows firsthand that you are a great leader and that the U.S. Border Patrol is in good hands,” the El Centro Sector tweeted.
Provost had visited the Valley most recently on July 26, for the change of command ceremony that formally installed El Centro Sector Chief Gloria Chavez.
That visit had been referred to by Provost as something of a “homecoming,” during which time she expressed praise for the level of collaboration among law enforcement agencies operating in the Valley.
“I often tell people that the Imperial Valley is a best-kept secret,” Provost had told the crowd gathered for the ceremony.
Provost has more than 23 years with the Border Patrol, and had served as the agency’s acting chief since April 2017.
With her appointment by U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin K. McAleenan, Provost becomes the Border Patrol’s first woman to serve as chief, and its 18th chief overall.
“There is no one more suited to lead the Border Patrol,” McAleenan said in a written statement Thursday. “I have absolute confidence in her experience, leadership, judgment and dedication to lead the Border Patrol, as well as her unwavering commitment to our mission, and our agency.”
El Centro Sector Agent and National Border Patrol Council Local 2554 President Mike Matzke expressed similar sentiments on Friday.
“Chief Provost will be a great leader for the Border Patrol, and she has our full support,” Matzke said.
Prior to joining the Border Patrol, Provost had been employed as a police officer with the Riley County Police Department in Manhattan, Kan. She had joined the department shortly after having obtained a Bachelor’s degree in sociology and criminal justice at Kansas State University.
While employed as a police officer, Provost had attempted to seek employment with the U.S. Marshals Service, but was unsuccessful on account of a hiring freeze, according to recent media interviews.
Instead, she was encouraged by a colleague to apply to the Border Patrol, and after completing the academy, was assigned to the Tucson Sector’s Douglas Station in 1995.
“The Border Patrol is a family, and I will do everything to live up to this great responsibility and represent my ‘family’ to the best of my ability,” Provost said in a press release announcing her appointment.
“First and foremost, I want to be able to support our personnel with the resources and equipment they need to do their jobs in a safe and effective manner. Our people are our most important resource, and supporting them is my primary responsibility.”
Provost oversees an agency that employs approximately 20,000 agents, about 5 percent of whom are women. That figure is closely reflected within the El Centro Sector, where 5.5 percent of its personnel are women, a local agency spokesperson said.
Yuma Sector officials were pleased with Provost’s appointment on Thursday as well.
Provost had been promoted to assistant chief patrol agent at the Yuma Sector in 2006, and patrol agent in charge of the sector’s Wellton Station in 2009.
“She is a proven leader and the right person at the right time to lead the Border Patrol,” said Yuma Sector Chief Patrol Agent Anthony Porvaznik in a written statement Thursday. “Chief Provost has always served with honor, integrity and unwavering dedication to the mission and the people she leads.”