Gary Barksdale has been named the Postal Inspection Service’s chief inspector, effective March 2.
Barksdale, a 19-year Inspection Service employee, has served as acting chief inspector since the beginning of the year.
Postmaster General Megan J. Brennan announced Barksdale’s appointment in a memo this week, praising his work as acting chief inspector.
“He has demonstrated strong leadership and strategic planning ability, and helped drive major initiatives related to opioid and other contraband interdiction, implementation of the STOP Act, and realignment of organizational resources,” she wrote.
The Synthetics Trafficking and Overdose Prevention (STOP) Act, which took effect last year, is a major law to combat the opioid crisis.
Barksdale began his career as a postal inspector in Los Angeles and later served as assistant inspector in charge in Phoenix and postal inspector in charge of field operations in Washington, DC, and Houston. He recently served as the Postal Service’s acting district manager in Northern New England District.
Before joining the Inspection Service, Barksdale worked for the Chesapeake, VA, Police Department, where he served as a patrol officer, SWAT team member and detective.