GAO says officials vulnerable
Security protection for executive branch officials is fragmented and decentralized, leaving officials “vulnerable to attack,” according to a report from the General Accounting Office. Even though top appointed officials have not been frequent victims of harm, agencies reported receiving 134 direct threats against their officials in fiscal years 1997 through 1999, the GAO said. The report cited a 1998 Secret Service that found that “many attackers and would-be attackers considered more than one target before attacking”, which means that officials “may become targets of attack by potentially dangerous individuals who shift their focus from one government official to another”, according to the report.
GAO also found that some of the government’s highest-ranking officials were being protected by personnel who said they did not have sufficient access to protective intelligence and training. In addition, three fourths of the agencies did not have detailed, written threat assessments justifying their decisions to protect officials. Further, some agencies lack legal authority to make arrests and conduct threat investigations to protect their officials.
GAO has recommended that agencies share protective intelligence and establish a standardized protection program, and that Congress provide “specific statutory authority to provide protection” (Security Protection: Standardization Issues Regarding Protection of Executive Branch Officials, GAO/T-GGD/OSI-00-177, July 2000). GAO also provided Congress with a classified report, dated 31 May 2000, giving specific information on the security provided by position and agency.
************************************************************
Skyhawk
Zweiter Artikel
Da eine gutgeordnete Miliz zur Sicherheit eines freien Staates nötig ist, soll das Recht des Volkes, Waffen zu besitzen und zu führen, nicht geschmälert werden.
Security protection for executive branch officials is fragmented and decentralized, leaving officials “vulnerable to attack,” according to a report from the General Accounting Office. Even though top appointed officials have not been frequent victims of harm, agencies reported receiving 134 direct threats against their officials in fiscal years 1997 through 1999, the GAO said. The report cited a 1998 Secret Service that found that “many attackers and would-be attackers considered more than one target before attacking”, which means that officials “may become targets of attack by potentially dangerous individuals who shift their focus from one government official to another”, according to the report.
GAO also found that some of the government’s highest-ranking officials were being protected by personnel who said they did not have sufficient access to protective intelligence and training. In addition, three fourths of the agencies did not have detailed, written threat assessments justifying their decisions to protect officials. Further, some agencies lack legal authority to make arrests and conduct threat investigations to protect their officials.
GAO has recommended that agencies share protective intelligence and establish a standardized protection program, and that Congress provide “specific statutory authority to provide protection” (Security Protection: Standardization Issues Regarding Protection of Executive Branch Officials, GAO/T-GGD/OSI-00-177, July 2000). GAO also provided Congress with a classified report, dated 31 May 2000, giving specific information on the security provided by position and agency.
************************************************************
Skyhawk
Zweiter Artikel
Da eine gutgeordnete Miliz zur Sicherheit eines freien Staates nötig ist, soll das Recht des Volkes, Waffen zu besitzen und zu führen, nicht geschmälert werden.