The American Federation of Government Employees told the committee that FPS remains in "disarray" and is understaffed, operating at just above its currently congressionally mandated minimum staffing level of 1,200 full time employees and about 15,000 contract guards.
GAO’s investigation last year uncovered management problems with the mostly contract-guard workforce. However, FPS is taking some steps to better protect federal facilities, according to GAO-10-506T.
It said for example that FPS is developing a new risk assessment program and has recently focused on improving oversight of its contract guard program.
In a joint statement, FPS director Gary Schenkel and the acting deputy assistant secretary in the national protection and programs directorate’s office of infrastructure protection, told the committee that FPS has been working to determine the causes of the reported lapses and is recommending corrective measures.
They said FPS has increased the frequency of post inspections performed by contract guards, is requiring additional training for screening visitors, is ensuring that all contract guards are compliant with certifications and qualifications, and is developing and initiating a 16-hour magnetometer X-ray training program.
