Board Report: March 2, 2009
The USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, Public Law No. 107-56, granted the Board certain federal law enforcement authorities. The Board's implementing regulations, the Uniform Regulations for Federal Reserve Law Enforcement Officers, S-2609 (June 18, 2002), designated the Board's OIG to perform the external oversight function (EOF) for the Board's Law Enforcement Unit (LEU). The OIG conducted an inspection of the program to fulfill our EOF responsibility for reviewing and evaluating the Board's law enforcement programs and operations.
The objective of our inspection was to (1) assess LEU's compliance with Board and LEU internal policies and procedures, and (2) test selected operational controls. To accomplish our objectives, we performed a comprehensive inventory of all LEU weapons and ammunition; reviewed personnel records and the results of sixteen background investigations for LEU management and staff; verified that recently hired Law Enforcement Officers obtained required qualifications; and assessed the process for testing and certifying canines and their handlers. We also reviewed controls over the LEU's credentials and badges; access to the National Crime Information Center/Washington Area Law Enforcement System; arrest incident reports; and the drug testing program administered by the Board's Health Unit. In addition, we tested the functionality of surveillance cameras and physical controls over entry into the Martin, Eccles, and New York Avenue buildings, as well as Board-leased space on K Street.
Overall, our restricted report found that the LEU generally complied with the Board and LEU internal policies, procedures, and controls that were reviewed during our inspection. We made two recommendations to enhance the LEU's internal control environment by disposing of obsolete ammunition, and establishing standard forms for custody transfers involving weapons or ammunition to be destroyed.
