W. Ralph Basham was sworn in by President George W. Bush on June 6, 2006 as the second Commissioner of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the agency of the Department of Homeland Security responsible for managing, controlling, and securing the U.S. borders. Basham, 63, had served as the Director of the United States Secret Service since 2003. A 28-year veteran of the Secret Service, he also served as Director of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center and Chief of Staff of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Basham recently was interviewed in Baltimore by Logistics Management contributing editor John D. Schulz on this nation’s ability to balance the free flow of legitimate commerce with homeland security concerns.

You come to U.S. Customs and Border Protection from the U.S. Secret Service. Is protecting this nation’s ports and borders much different from protecting the President?

Basham: The jobs are not dissimilar. As director of the Secret Service, I did have the responsibility of securing venues and protecting the President. It was an awesome responsibility. But as awesome as it was I realized that if I shut down the White House, the President could not go about his responsibilities. Of course, the White House is 18 acres of ground and this country has 7,000 miles of borders. But the ideas of balance are the same. I could bury the President in a lead box, pump in oxygen and water to him, and protect him that way. But there would be no way he could go about his job. The same thing is true with our borders and ports. If I wanted to inspect every single item coming into this country, I could. But it would shut down commerce.

Should shippers be worried about more red tape and costs when it comes to new security measures?

Basham: No. There is no great need to put in more regulations and red tape. Security can actually be a facilitator of commerce if it’s done the proper way.

What is the proper way?

Basham: Things like C-TPAT (Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism) and the Container Security Initiative. I am interested in getting more corporations in joining C-TPAT. The Container Security Initiative involves inspections and intelligence in cargo at 46 foreign ports right now, with more coming. Because a shipper and a port know information about that container ahead of time, it helps the flow of commerce once that container hits our shore. So it doesn’t have to be a detriment to legitimate commerce.

How tough is the balancing act between security and the legitimate flow of commerce and goods?

Basham: It’s like a scale. You have to weigh commerce with security and both are of equal importance. I will tell you that at CBP and the Department of Homeland Security, we have a tremendous challenge in assuring that trade and traffic moves efficiently as well as safely. If we go too far on the security side, it has a huge impact on our nation’s ability to move legitimate trade and traffic. That’s why intelligence and technology are so important. If we continue to push our borders out, it will enhance our targeting ability. With better intelligence, we are able to know what is coming into our ports.

C-TPAT has been hailed by shippers for its cost and efficiency in helping move freight as well enhancing security. Are there plans to expand that program?

Basham: We have 6,000 corporations that are members of C-TPAT on a voluntary basis. These corporations now have the ability to look at their supply chains and also have the ability to enhance the security of those supply chains. I would love to get more corporations involved. That’s what we want. We want ways to enhance our security while assuring the free flow of legitimate freight.

What’s different since the attacks of 9/11?

Basham: A lot has been accomplished since 9/11. But there is a lot more we need to do. It’s very obvious our enemies have not ceased their efforts to attack this country and its citizens. We will continue to develop and build on the security systems we have built since 9/11. The men and women of the CBP understand that challenge, are focused and know what they have to do to help the security of this country. It’s my job to give them the tools, resources and intelligence so they can accomplish that job.

Is this nation safe at its ports and borders?

Basham: Our president said it best when he said, “We’re safer but not yet safe.” Initiatives such as C-TPAT and the Container Security Initiative have contributed to making us safer. But to try and say we are 50 percent safer, or 75 percent safer, I can’t quantify that. I think the results of our efforts have been obvious. There is a reason we have not been attacked since 9/11. The reason is we have redoubled our efforts, and those efforts have been effective. I do believe we are safer.