The Justice Department's inspector general has created a new position to help protect department whistleblowers and educate staff about them -- a move that comes in the wake of Operation Fast and Furious.

The "Whistleblower Ombudsman" is believed to be one of the first such positions in the federal government, and its announcement comes one day after a whistleblower in the "Furious" scandal reached an agreement with the U.S. government over claims of retaliation against him.

Inspector General Michael Horowitz, who was sworn in three months ago, said he has already "seen first-hand how whistleblowers have advanced (his office's) efforts to address wasteful and improper spending, improve the Department's operations, and protect the public's safety."

The Whistleblower Ombudsman will focus on training department employees about how colleagues who come forward improve "the effectiveness and efficiency" of the department, and educating department employees about legal protections for whistleblowers and the possible repercussions of retaliation against them, a press release said.