GAO: Better Data Needed for Collaboration Between FPS and Partners

The Federal Protective Service needs better data on facility jurisdictions to improve collaboration with state and local law enforcement, GAO has said.

It said that although FPS has a reasonable approach to state and local collaboration, that issues remain related to the quality of data exchanged between GSA and FPS on buildings and their locations.

GSA is working with FPS through various working groups to address these data inconsistency issues and is establishing a permanent GSA liaison at FPS’s headquarters to improve data coordination, according to GAO-12-434.

It said however that FPS – which protects over 9,000 facilities -- still lacks complete data from GSA on the jurisdiction of about one third of the buildings it protects.

GSA officials report progress with identifying building jurisdictions but were not yet in a position to provide complete information to FPS, and GAO said FPS lacks assurance that in relying on state and local law enforcement to respond to incidents at federal facilities, it is not creating a situation where these entities may be exercising police authority where they lack such authority.

According to the report, GSA agreed to follow through and ensure that efforts to identify the jurisdictions of all GSA buildings are completed and that these data are provided to FPS.