Covert tests found that VA staff at all examined locations failed to detect a multi-tool with a prohibited knife blade. Only two buildings had metal detectors, and one was not in use while the other triggered without officers taking action. In most tests, VA employees did not notice or respond to an undercover investigator in a waiting room, even when guards were nearby. Investigators were able to enter nonpublic spaces at multiple facilities, including offices, treatment rooms, and a blood draw lab. Related findings from 2025 showed contracted guards across government also missed prohibited items in about half of covert tests. Staffing shortages were reported, with many facilities lacking sufficient security personnel, and VA leadership reported efforts to improve pay and consolidate law enforcement operations.
"VA staff at all 30 locations that were examined failed to detect a multi-tool with a prohibited knife blade. Investigators noted that only two of the buildings had metal detectors: one of them was not in use and in the other case the device set the detector off but officers did not act on it."
"In 25 out of 26 tests, VA employees did not notice or respond to an undercover GAO investigator who was drinking from a bottle that appeared to contain alcohol in a waiting room, even though guards were nearby in more than a quarter of the cases."
"At eight of 16 facilities, investigators were able to enter nonpublic spaces, such as offices, treatment rooms and a blood draw lab."
"Quinn Slaven, VA's press secretary, said by email to Government Executive that officials have worked to address the issue by collaborating with the Office of Personnel Management to reclassify department police officers so that they can receive higher pay. He also said that the VA has consolidated law enforcement operations under one office, so that officers aren't reporting to multiple different medical center di"
#va-security #covert-security-testing #federal-building-security-best-practices #staffing-shortages #law-enforcement-operations
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