Q&A with Director James C. Harris
Tell us a little about your background.
I’m originally from Hamilton, Ohio, right outside of Cincinnati. I’m the youngest of three kids and my father was a Captain in the Air Force prior to his retirement. My journey in federal law enforcement began as an intern with the U.S. Customs Service, Office of Field Operations, at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. I received a job offer to be an Inspector in Nogales, Arizona. Prior to attending the academy, I received an offer to become a special agent in Seattle, Washington. My ultimate goal was to be a special agent, so I accepted that offer. During my time with Homeland Security Investigations, I have worked in four different field offices, three tours through headquarters, and a six-month term overseas. I never dreamed I would be at this level and I’ve surpassed my initial goal many times over. I am extremely grateful, proud, and thrilled for the opportunity to be a Senior Executive with HSI, and to lead the CCHT.
Tell us about your greatest personal accomplishment to date?
My greatest personal accomplishment was obtaining my last master’s degree. I graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, which has a very rigorous curriculum. My time there extended from pre-covid to the height of covid. During this time, I was reassigned to the Detroit field office as the Deputy Special Agent in Charge and the acting Special Agent in Charge, both new offices and new positions. My wife and kids stayed back in Virginia during my entire assignment in Detroit. It was a very tough time not having my family with me - learning a new position, a new office, and getting to know new people, all while in the middle of a pandemic. The accomplishment was finishing with a 4.0 GPA and having my kids see me get my degree. It took everything I had but it was worth it.
What excites you most about leading the CCHT?
I’m excited to be part of a great team of people from different backgrounds, expertise, and experiences, unified under one of the most righteous missions in the world. I’ve been entrusted to lead the Center, and I’m honored to fulfill the Secretary’s expectations, those of all the Components who collaborate with us, and most of all, the victims of trafficking who deserve protection and justice.
What drew you to CCHT’s mission?
I’m very familiar with the anti-trafficking mission from my time with the Victim Assistance Program and as a supervisor for many different field offices. The anti-trafficking (and combating child exploitation) mission is very different. You’re dealing with human beings. Vulnerable people who, because of their situations or circumstances, are targeted through coercion, manipulation or abuse and subjected to physical and mental trauma. Many of these victims want or need assistance so they can get on a path to stability and wellbeing. Also, what I’ve grown to appreciate and understand is that our work is not finished when the investigation is over or a trafficker is sentenced, we owe it to the survivors to continue on with them as they rebuild their lives – to provide support and help them strengthen their voices.
What do you see as the greatest opportunity for CCHT?
I think the greatest opportunity for CCHT is to sit down with all the other DHS components and partners, and talk about how we can tackle the anti-trafficking mission together. I’m rapidly finding out that none of us can do it alone; we need a collective effort. The Center was established less than four years ago and it has taken enormous strides since it was a thought on a piece of paper. We are heading in the right direction, and I am confident that the Center can become what we know it can be.
What will your first order of business be when you start?
My first order of business is getting to know the team at CCHT. I have always believed that getting to know someone as a person, and not just as an employee, can open communication and build trust. Furthermore, as an employee, you can get a sense of how your supervisor will manage the office and lead the team.
What do you hope to accomplish as Director?
I want the Center to achieve its full potential. We have so many Components with broad and unique authorities, and once we can fully leverage that, along with the invaluable expertise, we will be on our way.
Cake or pie?
Cake all day. Basic cake as well, yellow cake with chocolate icing…classic.
Best sports rivalry?
I am a big sports fan. No disrespect to deeply rooted professional rivalries like Lakers versus Celtics, Dodgers versus Giants, or Cowboys versus Commanders. However, the best rivalries are in college sports. I spent the majority of my life watching great rivalries like Duke versus North Carolina and Alabama versus Auburn, but the best rivalry hands down is THE Ohio State Buckeyes versus the team from up north (Michigan Wolverines). I was born and raised in Ohio, so there is no other way to say it.
New York or Detroit style pizza?
I have to go with Detroit style. I had it for the first time a few years ago, when I was working at our office in Detroit. I never knew Detroit had a style. I went to a place called Michigan and Trumbull in Downtown Detroit one day for lunch and I was hooked from the first bite. I found a great Detroit style pizza place in Baltimore, Maryland too.
What was your favorite place to visit?
My favorite place to visit was right outside of Bern, Switzerland. The people were fantastic and the scenery was magnificent. The food was inspired by Austrian and German cuisine and had that small town hospitality. I remember stepping off the train in Bern, I felt a nice calmness that stayed with me the entire week I was there. I love the mountains and crisp, fall weather. I literally just sat outside and admired the scenery as often as I could. That will be my retirement present to me and my family when the time comes.
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