Hundreds of badges, credentials, cell phones and guns belonging to Department of Homeland Security employees have been lost or stolen in recent years — raising serious security concerns about the potential damage these missing items could do in the wrong hands.

Inventory reports, obtained by the news site Complete Colorado and shared with FoxNews.com, show that over 1,300 badges, 165 firearms and 589 cell phones were lost or stolen over the span of 31 months between 2012 and 2015.

The majority of the credentials belonged to employees of Customs and Border Protection (CBP), while others belonged to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) employees.

The lost or stolen guns also mostly belonged to CBP employees, though others were cited as belonging to TSA and ICE workers. The agencies all fall under DHS.

The missing badges and guns suggest a shocking lack of security from federal law enforcement officers and represent a significant security risk, experts say.

“It’s scary that you’d have that number of credentials out there that someone could manipulate,” Tim Miller, a retired Secret Service special agent, told FoxNews.com.

While Miller said the phones are likely to have enough protocols in place to prevent them from being used for nefarious purposes, the badges and credentials are an entirely different matter and could allow access to sensitive areas such as cargo.

“The thing that’s particularly concerning is that if you get real credentials, it’s very easy to manipulate them, and you’ve got someone else’s picture on what law enforcement would see as valid,” Miller said. “Then you factor in terrorism, it’s a significant concern that people would run around with authentic credentials and be able to access areas they wouldn’t otherwise be able to access.”

When reached for comment, DHS did not dispute the inventory report data — which Complete Colorado, a Colorado-based online news site, had obtained via a Freedom of Information Act request. The reporter who obtained the data also works with Denver-based free-market think tank the Independence Institute.

In a statement to FoxNews.com, a DHS spokesman said they strive to be “good stewards of government resources” and have improved oversight and reduced the number of lost or stolen items over the past few years.

“If a credential holder loses or has their credentials stolen, the holder must report the incident to their supervisor and credential issuance office immediately,” spokesman Justin Greenberg said. “Once the incident has been reported, this information is entered into appropriate DHS and law enforcement databases, which disables use of the lost or stolen item.”

He also noted that DHS encrypts all mobile devices, laptops and tablets.

Miller said officials need to be doing more, considering the sheer number of guns and badges that have been lost or stolen.

Lawmakers also have expressed concern about the safety of DHS property in the past. In December, the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee approved legislation that would tighten screening of TSA workers, review security protocols and increase fines and enforcement requirements related to missing credentials.

The legislation was put forward after members of the committee wrote to TSA officials in March expressing concern about reports of unaccounted TSA badges, and the reported use of badges to bypass security checkpoints.

“Officials entrusted with protecting the American public cannot consider the loss of sensitive items normal or routine,” Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., chairman of the committee, told FoxNews.com.

“When the Commerce Committee looked at lost and missing airport security credentials, we discovered that existing rules weren’t being effectively enforced. Mistakes happen, but if we don’t work to eliminate them and insist on accountability, then we’re left with unacceptable risk,” Thune said.

Adam Shaw

Views: 139

"Destroying the New World Order"

TOP CONTENT THIS WEEK

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE SITE!

mobile page

12160.info/m

12160 Administrators

 

Latest Activity

Doc Vega posted blog posts
yesterday
cheeki kea commented on cheeki kea's photo
Thumbnail

Thumbs down - ship gone.

" So this sort of stupidity has occurred before. Norway or NZ - Who did it better? Cast your…"
yesterday
cheeki kea favorited Doc Vega's blog post The Last Meal
yesterday
tjdavis favorited Sandy's photo
Wednesday
tjdavis favorited cheeki kea's photo
Wednesday
tjdavis favorited tjdavis's video
Wednesday
tjdavis posted photos
Wednesday
tjdavis posted blog posts
Tuesday
cheeki kea favorited tjdavis's video
Tuesday
cheeki kea commented on cheeki kea's photo
Thumbnail

Prime clown idiot of the year.

" Stay tuned this prime clown might just resign from his own circus as his Finance Minister…"
Tuesday
cheeki kea commented on cheeki kea's photo
Tuesday
tjdavis posted a video

The Orb & David Gilmour - Metallic Spheres In Colour: Movement 1 - Excerpt (4K Official Music Video)

The 2010 album Metallic Spheres by The Orb and David Gilmour has been reimagined and remixed as Metallic Spheres In Colour. Out now: https://theorbdg.lnk.to/...
Tuesday
Doc Vega posted a blog post

The Real Explanation of the Mystery Drones over New Jersey

 Keep in mind all of the possible implications around the drones reportedly as big as cars being…See More
Monday
Sandy posted photos
Monday
tjdavis posted a video

Capitol Punishment - The Movie (Updated Trailer)

Order on DVD or Stream it Now: https://givemelibertynow.org/product/capitol-punishment/Told through the eyes of the people who were there on the ground, Capi...
Dec 15
cheeki kea commented on cheeki kea's photo
Dec 15
cheeki kea posted a photo
Dec 15
FREEDOMROX favorited Doc Vega's blog post Biggest Hoax and Hazard to Health in US History Busted Pt. 2
Dec 14
FREEDOMROX posted a blog post
Dec 14
Sandy posted videos
Dec 14

© 2024   Created by truth.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service

content and site copyright 12160.info 2007-2019 - all rights reserved. unless otherwise noted