Private guards at National Archives not trained for emergencies, watchdog says
Private security officers who guard the headquarters of the National Archives are not properly trained to respond to threats to visitors, the staff or the holdings, a report by the agency's watchdog reveals.
Without a more robust system of testing and drills for the guards, the Archives "has no assurance officers are proficient enough with their weapons" to respond to an attack, the agency's inspector general said in an emergency memo to top Archives officials.
"We lack the confidence the security officers would be able to respond appropriately during an incident," Inspector General Paul Brachfeld warned Archivist David S. Ferriero in a two-page letter last fall. The letter had not been made public, but a copy was recently obtained by The Washington Post.
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By
Lisa Rein
| January 10, 2011; 10:47 AM ET
Categories:
Agencies and Departments, Oversight
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