US Secret Service Lacks Full Implementation Of Recommendations To Improve Training - GAO

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 23rd May, 2019) The US Secret Service must make more of an effort to implement all the recommendations made by the agency's Protective Mission Panel in order to improve its services, the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) said in a report.

"The Secret Service fully implemented 11 of the recommendations. For example, the agency increased the number of agents and officers in the divisions that protect the President and White House and secured approval to build a new fence around the White House complex," the report said on Wednesday. "The Secret Service is in the process of implementing the remaining eight recommendations."

The watchdog pointed out that on September 19, 2014, an intruder broke into the White House as a result of "catastrophic failure of training.

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The US Secret Service does not currently have a system in place to adequately track training data of its Uniformed Division officers. The GAO also found that the agency is not meeting its goal of having its officers train for 25 percent of their work time and lacks a plan to achieve that goal.

However, the GAO report noted that the US Secret Service has made progress implementing all of the recommendations in areas to improve training and personnel, technology, perimeter security, and operations, and leadership.