Federal Manager's Daily Report

An IG review found no basis for a whistleblower’s allegations of systemic security and operational challenges in the TSA’s office of intelligence and analysis, saying it identified only 16 documented security incidents over the last five years and that the agency had taken corrective actions in all of them.

Those incidents involved matters such as employees scanning classified documents on unclassified scanners, emailing classified material on an unclassified network, and improperly transporting classified material.

A report also said the TSA has meanwhile improved that office’s field intelligence division and the field intelligence officer program “by hiring qualified, experienced intelligence professionals and implementing clear policies and procedures to guide officers.” Specifically, the office no longer focuses on hiring law enforcement officers even if they have no background in intelligence-related work, but rather hires only those with extensive experience in that area including experience applying analytical intelligence techniques, giving technical intelligence advice to senior leadership, and evaluating and validating intelligence data sources.

“In addition, OIA is addressing identified weaknesses in coordination among its watches and perceived delays in intelligence reporting,” it said.

Its only recommendation involved improving training of field intelligence officers, to which management concurred.