VA failed to adequately manage police force
Inspections to ensure safety put off 10 months
WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs failed to properly manage thousands of VA police officers who patrol its medical centers across the country, resulting in shortstaffing and millions in overtime charged to taxpayers, as well as missed opportunities to ensure staff and veteran patients are protected, federal investigators found.
The VA inspector general determined that national and regional VA security officials did not conduct required inspections for months to make sure firearm records were up to date, security plans were adequate and oversight of critical incidents was conducted appropriately.
At headquarters, three of the six VA police officials responsible for doing the inspections were reassigned last year to provide security for the secretary and deputy secretary.
“The governance problems stemmed from confusion about police program roles and authority and a lack of a centralized management or clearly designated staff within (Veterans Health Administration) to manage and oversee the police program,” an investigation report released Thursday says.
The inspection delays – on average 10 months across nearly 100 medical centers – occurred even after reviews found problems with VA police departments. In Chicago, for example, inspectors identified concerns about VA police officers not consistently advising suspects of their rights during arrests, but inspectors didn’t follow up for nearly a year to ensure the concerns were addressed.
VA employs nearly 4,000 officers at 139 medical centers who play a critical role in securing property, preventing and investigating crimes and often intervening to help patients or staff during potentially dangerous incidents.
James Byrne, acting deputy VA secretary, concurred with the inspector general’s findings and said VA officials will work with the IG to “make improvements to security and law enforcement programs and maintain the public’s trust.”
VA employs nearly 4,000 officers at 139 medical centers who play a critical role in securing property, preventing and investigating crimes and often intervening to help patients or staff during potentially dangerous incidents.
The inspector general found medical center directors managed their police forces with minimal oversight from regional and national police.
The lack of oversight allowed problems with police to continue for years without being addressed. In Seattle, an inspection in 2016 found the police chief at the medical center did not do supervisory checks on officers or complete security assessments. The inspector general found those same problems were identified in inspections in 2012, 2013 and 2014.
“Without an improved governance structure, VA will lack assurance that healthcare environments are safe and secure, and that the program operates effectively and efficiently,” the inspector general concluded.
Short-staffing in recent years forced some medical centers to borrow officers from other VA hospitals and cost taxpayers more than $26 million in overtime last year alone.
The inspector general recommended the VA institute hiring and staffing strategies to help stem the shortages and evaluate the need for more centralized oversight of VA police.
VA officials said they would have fixes in place by September.
“Ensuring medical facilities nationwide are safe and secure environments for patients, visitors and employees is of the utmost importance to VA,” Byrne said.