The director of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service leads the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) agency as it investigates and defeats threats from across the foreign intelligence, terrorist, and criminal spectrum by conducting operations and investigations ashore, afloat, and in cyberspace, to protect and preserve the superiority of Navy and Marine Corps warfighters.
History In 1993, the NCIS mission was again clarified and became a mostly civilian agency. Roy D. Nedrow, a former United States Secret Service (USSS) executive, was appointed as the first civilian director and the name changed from Naval Investigative Service Command to Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS). NCIS was aligned as an echelon two activity under the Secretary of the Navy, via the General Counsel. Nedrow oversaw the restructuring of NCIS into a Federal law enforcement agency with 14 field offices controlling field operations in 140 locations worldwide.
In May 1997, David L. Brant was appointed director of NCIS by Secretary of the Navy John Howard Dalton. Director Brant retired in December 2005. He was succeeded by Director Thomas A. Betro, who was appointed director of NCIS in January 2006, by Secretary of the Navy Donald C. Winter. Betro retired in September 2009. On September 13, 2009, deputy director of operations Gregory A. Scovel was appointed acting director by Under Secretary of the Navy Robert O. Work. He served concurrently as deputy director for operations until the new director was selected.
On February 14, 2010, Mark D. Clookie became the fourth civilian director of NCIS, having been appointed to the position by Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus. On October 7, 2013, Andrew L. Traver became the fifth civilian director of NCIS, having been appointed to the position by Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus. On June 4, 2019, Omar R. Lopez became the sixth civilian director of NCIS, having been appointed to the position by the Secretary of the Navy, Richard V. Spencer.
List of officeholders Portrait Name Term of office Appointed by Notes Took office Left office Time in office 1 Roy D. Nedrow December 1992 March 1997 Sean O'Keefe Previously a deputy assistant director of the United States Secret Service 2 David L. Brant May 1997 December 2, 2005 John Howard Dalton – Robert C. Thompson December 3, 2005 January 8, 2006 Dionel M. Aviles(Under Secretary of the Navy)NCIS deputy director for management and administration 3 Thomas A. Betro January 9, 2006 September 12, 2009 Donald C. Winter Previously the NCIS Deputy Director for Operations – Gregory A. Scovel September 13, 2009 February 13, 2010 Robert O. Work(Under Secretary of the Navy) NCIS deputy director for operations 4 Mark D. Clookie February 14, 2010 March 2, 2013 Ray Mabus Previously the NCIS Executive assistant director of the Combating Terrorism Directorate – Mark D. Ridley March 3, 2013 October 6, 2013 Ray Mabus NCIS deputy director 5 Andrew L. Traver October 7, 2013 June 3, 2019 Ray Mabus Previously the special agent in charge of the Denver, Colorado Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives 6 Omar R. Lopez June 4, 2019 Incumbent Richard V. Spencer Previously the NCIS executive assistant director of the National Security Directorate
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