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The Federal Protective Service (FPS), which spent nearly $1.7 billion in fiscal 2024 to secure 2,500 federal facilities with contract guards, faces significant gaps in oversight, according to an October report by the Homeland Security Department Office of Inspector General (OIG). The findings reveal troubling deficiencies in training, compliance, and response readiness among contracted security personnel.
Alarming Incidents Highlight Oversight Issues
The report detailed several incidents that raise concerns about guard preparedness and adherence to protocol:
- In one instance, a guard at a federal building in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, instructed a visitor to place their firearm in nearby bushes to re-enter the facility.
- Another guard failed to report an in-person bomb threat to the agency’s emergency dispatch center, violating standard procedures.
- During an inspection, a guard was found not wearing required body armor or shoes.
READ: Tentative Union Contract Reached for Office Building Security Officers
Between July 2019 and September 2023, FPS inspectors conducted 786 security post visits and identified deficiencies in a significant number of cases. Out of 258 records reviewed by the OIG, contract guards were found lacking operational knowledge in 218 instances. Additionally, follow-up inspections were not conducted in 129 cases where deficiencies were initially identified.
Limited Authority and Response Readiness
Contract security guards generally lack authorization to leave their assigned posts to respond to active shooter situations or other emergencies elsewhere in a building. This limitation is partly due to varying state and local laws regarding self-defense and detention authority.
The report warned that such restrictions leave guards ill-prepared to address physical security threats, increasing the risk of injury or loss of life. In response, FPS is collaborating with the Office of Management and Budget to propose legislation that would grant contract guards limited firearm and arrest authority.
Mixed Reactions to OIG Findings
While the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agreed with the OIG’s recommendation to enhance training and supervision for FPS security post inspections by December 31, 2025, it pushed back against the report’s broader conclusions.
Jim H. Crumpacker, director of the DHS GAO-OIG Liaison Office, argued that the deficiencies identified represented less than 1% of all FPS post visits during the audit period, suggesting the report’s focus on these incidents did not accurately reflect overall performance.
GAO Adds to the Oversight Concerns
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has also been reviewing FPS contractor performance. Preliminary results from covert tests conducted by GAO investigators revealed additional concerns. Of 27 attempts to bring prohibited items into federal buildings, guards failed to detect these items about half the time, underscoring potential vulnerabilities in security measures.
Steps Forward
As federal agencies and watchdogs assess these findings, the FPS faces mounting pressure to strengthen oversight, improve training, and ensure contract guards are adequately prepared for their roles. Whether through enhanced legislation or improved supervision, addressing these gaps is essential to safeguarding federal facilities and the people they serve.
3 Responses
I am a former employee and Vietnam veteran Since leaving I have responsibilities for a 100 Armed force providing services to mostly Government contracts The issue at Paragon has always been and will always be their hostile attitude toward their employees They threaten Ofcs with termination on the most trivial issues. They demonstrate little to no encouragement to retain their highly skilled Ofcs. I worked alongside many former military and LEOs that were outstanding but experienced the same resentment and disdain from management
It could be the benchmark for all security services if they learned to respect the contributions of their Ofcs
Canada has the same issues with contract guards. In most cases, it comes down to incompetent management and lack of training. Guards are being shot and still no changes to the system.
This is not the first of such reports. FPS was made aware of these issues several years ago.