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The Federal Protective Service (FPS) is the premier provider of security and law enforcement services at U.S. federal government facilities. FPS plays a leading role in the protection of our nation’s critical infrastructure, with lead responsibility for ensuring a safe and secure working environment for federal workers and visitors in approximately 9,000 federal facilities nationwide.
The Federal Protective Service (FPS) and the General Services Administration (GSA), the two agencies charged with protection of federal facilities, have made “limited progress” in improving collaboration, which may be putting these facilities at risk, according to a recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report.
FPS has primary responsibility for protecting federal facilities held or leased by GSA and their occupants. GSA serves as the federal government’s “landlord” by designing, building, and managing these facilities and fixing security issues. Both agencies conduct policy making and high-level planning at the headquarters level.
Read more about this story here: Federal Building Security Remains At Risk
FPS and GSA Should Strengthen Collaboration to Enhance Facility Security
What GAO Found
The Federal Protective Service (FPS), within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the General Services Administration (GSA) have taken some steps to improve collaboration, such as drafting a joint strategy. While each agency has some individual policies for collaboration, the two agencies have made limited progress in agreeing on several key practices as described below. Reaching agreement on these practices will help to enhance the agencies’ ability to protect federal facilities and to improve day-to-day operations at the regional level.
As a result of not having key practices in place, regional officials said they were not aware of agreed upon collaborative policies and procedures to conduct day-to-day operations. GAO found that this created inefficiencies and security risks. For example, FPS officials told GAO that GSA did not coordinate with them on new construction intended for law enforcement tenants, and as a result, it was not suitable for law enforcement use. GSA officials told GAO that they did not have sufficient information from FPS about security plans for upcoming events and, therefore, were not able to inform tenants of necessary security measures.
GAO made four recommendations to improve collaboration between FPS and GSA. The recommendations include:
- FPS and GSA headquarters officials should establish a plan with time frames for reaching agreement on a joint strategy and finalizing it in order to define and articulate a common understanding of expected outcomes and align the two agencies’ activities and core processes to achieve their related missions;
- FPS and GSA headquarters officials should establish a plan with time frames for reaching agreement on the two agencies’ respective roles and responsibilities for federal facility security, and update and finalize the two agencies’ MOA accordingly;
- FPS and GSA headquarters officials should develop a process to ensure that compatible policies and procedures, including those for information sharing, are communicated at the regional level so that regional officials at both agencies have common information on how to operationalize the two agencies’ collaborative efforts; and
- FPS and GSA headquarters officials should develop mechanisms to monitor, evaluate, and report on their collaborative efforts to protect federal facilities in order to identify possible areas for improvement and to reinforce accountability.
Read the full report here. HOMELAND SECURITY FPS and GSA Should Strengthen Collaboration to Enhance Facility Security
Law Enforcement Officers Security Unions (LEOSU-DC) Washington DC America’s Newest 9(b)3 Security Union For Law Enforcement, Security Police, Special Police, Security Guards and Security Professionals in Washington DC Capitol Region.
Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee: We are pleased to be here to discuss the results of our report on the Federal Protective Service’s (FPS) contract guard program, issued April 13, 2010.1 As you are aware, FPS—within the National Protection and Programs Directorate (NPPD) of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)—is responsible for protecting the buildings, grounds, and property that are under the control and custody of the General Services Administration (GSA), as well as the persons on the property; authorized to enforce federal laws and regulations aimed at protecting GSA buildings and persons on the property; and authorized to investigate offenses against these buildings and persons. To accomplish its mission of protecting federal facilities, FPS currently has a budget of about $1 billion,3 about 1,225 full-time employees, and about 15,000 contract security guards (guards) deployed at about 2,360 federal facilities across the country. In fiscal year 2009, FPS obligated $659 million for guard services, which represents the single largest item in its budget.
FPS’s contract guard program is the most visible component of its operations as well as the first public contact for individuals entering a federal facility. FPS relies heavily on its guards and considers them to be the agency’s “eyes and ears” while performing their duties. Guards are primarily responsible for controlling access to federal facilities by (1) checking the identification of government employees as well as members of the public who work in and visit federal facilities, and (2) operating security equipment, such as X-ray machines and magnetometers to screen for prohibited materials, such as firearms, knives, explosives, or items intended to be used to fabricate an explosive or incendiary device. Guards do not have arrest authority but can detain individuals who are being disruptive or pose a danger to public safety.
This testimony, based on our report, discusses challenges FPS continues to face in (1) managing its guard contractors, (2) overseeing guards deployed at federal facilities, and (3) actions FPS has taken to address these challenges. Our methodology included site visits to 6 of FPS’s 11 regions. To select these 6 regions, we considered the number of FPS guards, contractors, and federal facilities, and the geographic dispersion of the regions across the United States. At each region, we observed FPS’s guard inspection process and interviewed FPS’s regional manager, contract guard program managers, inspectors who are responsible for conducting guard inspections; guards, and contractors. We also randomly selected 663 out of approximately 15,000 guard training records that were maintained in FPS’s Contract Guard Employment Requirements Tracking System (CERTS) and/or by the guard contractor and validated them against the contractual requirements that were in effect at the time of our review. We also reviewed the contract files for 7 of FPS’s 38 guard contractors. We selected these 7 contractors because our previous work showed that they had contract compliance issues. In addition, we analyzed a random sample of 99 FPS contractor evaluations to determine how FPS evaluated the performance of its contractors on an annual basis.
We also reviewed new contract guard program guidance issued since our July 2009 testimony and observed guard inspections and covert testing done by FPS in August and November 2009.6 Because of the sensitivity of some of the information in our report, we cannot provide information about the specific locations of the incidents discussed. We conducted this performance audit from July 2008 to February 2010 in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain sufficient, appropriate evidence to provide a reasonable basis for our findings and conclusions based on our audit objectives. We believe that the evidence obtained provides a reasonable basis for our findings and conclusions based on our audit objectives.
Read the full Report: HOMELAND SECURITY Federal Protective Service’s Use of Contract Guards Requires Reassessment and More Oversight
FPS is a leader in physical security and law enforcement operations, and it embraces a forward-leaning, strategic approach to security centered on advance planning and preparedness.
Law Enforcement – Careers in the Federal Protective Service
The Federal Protective Service (FPS) is the premier provider of security and law enforcement services at U.S. federal government facilities. FPS plays a leading role in the protection of our nation’s critical infrastructure, with lead responsibility for ensuring a safe and secure working environment for federal workers and visitors in approximately 9,000 federal facilities nationwide.
FPS is a leader in physical security and law enforcement operations, and it embraces a forward-leaning, strategic approach to security centered on advance planning and preparedness.
FPS Responsibilities
- Conducting comprehensive security assessment of vulnerabilities at facilities
- Developing and implementing protective countermeasures, based on the latest risk management tools and technology
- Installing alarm systems, x-ray and magnetometer equipment, and entry control systems
- Monitoring systems at federal facilities for proper performance and security breaches
- Providing uniformed police response and investigative follow-up
- Contracting for security guard services
- Performing hazardous materials preparedness and response operations
- Managing K9 explosive detection operations
- Providing critical security services and logistical support at high-profile public events
- Coordinating vital emergency services and disaster response during and after natural disasters
- Engaging federal facility tenants through crime prevention seminars, facility security surveys, intelligence-gathering operations and more.
FPS Employment Offers:
- Competitive salary and benefits
- Potential for career advancement
- Positions available at locations nationwide
- An opportunity to make a difference through public service
Join the FPS Team
FPS is comprised of a talented workforce of highly skilled law enforcement officers and mission support specialists.
Examples of FPS law enforcement careers*
Physical Security Specialist/Law Enforcement Security Officers (LESO)
As the backbone of the FPS workforce, LESOs are sworn law enforcement officers and trained security experts who provide security assessments, inspections, and oversight for contract guards, and respond to crimes in progress.
Criminal Investigators
FPS Criminal Investigators are trained special agents who provide critical investigative follow-up response to criminal activity at federal facilities.
Examples of FPS opportunities for management professionals
Protective Security Officer Program Managers
FPS oversees approximately 15,000 Protective Security Officers, and requires professional managers with background in federal contracting, acquisition and program management.
Budget Analysts and Mission Support Specialists
FPS relies on a cadre of highly trained professional management and administrative specialists for a wide range of mission support services.
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