The Inspector General of the United States Department of Homeland Security warned that Secret Service agents who are being overworked and experience extreme fatigue could compromise the security of those they protect.
The alert was released by the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) when officials who were inspecting facilities had found two separate Secret Service agents to be asleep while on duty. One was at an alarms and communication equipment facility, while the other was at the White House, officials said. Both officers had been referred for disciplinary action.
The OIG said that they are concerned with the fact that the Secret Service's scheduling and staffing process do not ensure that officers receive the right amount of breaks during their shifts.
One of the officers reported that he had been working 60 hours overtime two weeks before the incident. He also cited a particular 36-hour shift involving a trip to Kenya.
The alert from the Inspector General mentioned that agents even described those working hours as minimal compared to the schedule of other officers.
The second officer said that he worked for 12 hours regularly, and that the heat and lack of water had contributed to his fatigue.
Officials say that overtime shifts, fatigue from travel, and long working hours had contributed to the previous incidents. Another issue was the overscheduling for Secret Service agents in the Uniformed Division.
"These issues impact officer safety and the agency's ability to meet its mission," the OIG said.
However, the U.S. Secret Service said that they do not agree with the observations of the OIG.
"Regarding these two incidents, scheduling and staffing issues were not contributing factors to the misconduct by these officers, nor do they serve as an excuse for their behavior," the agency said.
The agency explained that they had provided the OIG with factual corrections to their draft report. They said that both officers had sufficient days off before the incident happened. They also said that the disciplinary action of the two officers is well in process.
"The Management Alert offers neither new information nor value to the Secret Service and should not warrant the ongoing attention of the OIG," the agency added.
Meanwhile, the OIG hopes to broaden the morale of Secret Service agents, even after a string of events that caused embarrassment to the agency.
Photo : Elvert Barnes | Flickr
