Page 29 - Port of Baltimore - Issue 3 - 2024

★ Cranes & Rigging ★ Main Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery ★ Underwater Services ★
Moss Marine USA
Workshop Services & Specialty Products
Ship & Industrial Equipment Repair
★ Hull ★ Piping Systems ★ Cargo Gear ★ Ramps ★ Welding ★ Machining ★
mossmarine@aol.com

studied sociology and criminal justice. “I was 20 when I became a police officer,” he says. “Then I joined CBP. All I’ve ever known is what I’m doing.
All of our other priorities are there,
but [CBP’s] number-one priority is disrupting terrorist organizations and bad people. After seeing 9/11 and the emotions that came, I said that’s what I want to commit my life to.”
He began as a Customs Inspector in Savannah, GA. He later worked
as Port Director in Rockford, IL — where agents are responsible for a small airport —and Port Director in Canada, where passengers flying to the U.S. are processed before boarding. Rottman worked most recently at CBP headquarters before arriving in Baltimore.
He says the men and women
he works with are among the most dedicated he’s ever encountered. They include his CBP officers, specialists and technicians, other law enforcement agencies, and staff at various departments like the Maryland Port Administration (MPA).
“The relationship we’ve been able to build with MPA since I got here has been nothing but outstanding,” Rottman says. “We have a symbiotic relationship where we’re always supporting each other. No matter if it’s facilitating legitimate trade or enforcing the laws we have to enforce, we’re definitely on the same page.”
CBP uses a layered enforcement approach with checks and balances between computer algorithms, data- base research and physical inspections. Non-intrusive X-ray equipment allows officers to scan cargo containers and compare the contents with the mani- fest. They also work side-by-side with inspectors from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, leading to seizures of dangerous items.
“We look for lead paint and toys that have very small pieces that are chok- ing hazards,” Rottman says. “We look at mattresses that are too flammable. That’s the spectrum of our job. One day, you’re in the middle of the Bay, climb- ing on a rickety wooden ladder held together by ropes. The next day, you’re looking at a bunch of children’s toys.
The relationship we’ve been able to build
with MPA since I got here has been nothing but outstanding. ... No matter if it’s facilitating legitimate trade or enforcing the laws we have to enforce, we’re definitely on the same page.”
“It’s pretty amazing.” 
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