TAMPA, Fla. –
Special Agent in Charge, Central Texas Field Office, Maria E. Thomas received the 2023 Outstanding Federal Law Enforcement Employee Award at the Women in Federal Law Enforcement (WIFLE) awards banquet. This prestigious award recognizes the exemplary performance of an outstanding employee in the field of law enforcement who has shown a sustained superior level of performance throughout her career.
Her devotion to duty, manner of performance and professional credentials are impeccable. SAC Thomas has over 20 years of federal law enforcement experience and has served with distinction in numerous law enforcement positions, including as the Assistant Director of the Human Resources Directorate where she had oversight of hiring, recruiting, disciplinary action, training, and professional development of agency personnel. She served as an Ombudsman, providing an informal, confidential, and neutral way to resolve work-place issues. SAC Thomas has held various other leadership positions since 2012. Prior to serving in leadership, SAC Thomas maintained a diverse background working general crimes investigations, proactive operations, and family and sexual violence investigations.
In March 2022, SAC Thomas became the first ever civilian female Special Agent-in-Charge of the Army CID Central Texas Field Office (CTFO). She was hand selected for her extensive knowledge, experience, and proven track record of building effective partnerships and creating preventative policing models in her previous assignments. Her assignment as the SAC of the CTFO came at a critical time for the Army and necessitated substantial leadership change and a requirement for an experienced law enforcement professional.
CTFO’s area of responsibility is expansive, covering the majority of Texas. CTFO is comprised of two offices located at Fort Cavazos and Joint Base Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas. Fort Cavazos alone has an on-post population of over 57,000 personnel of which 35,000 are active-duty Soldiers. When taking command, SAC Thomas focused on four areas: partnership, community engagement, investigative success, and crime prevention / education.
Her keen ability to proactively engage Army senior leaders and law enforcement partners and drive difficult conversations in identifying and approaching varying problem sets is part of why she is successful.
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