Pentagon to Conduct All Federal Security Checks

Pentagon to Conduct All Federal Security Checks

Pentagon officials said that over the next three years it will be responsible for background investigations for military and civilian employees and contractors.

The Pentagon will soon take over security checks for the federal government, according to a report from the Associated Press.

Defense Department officials said that over the next three years it will be responsible for background investigations for military and civilian employees and contractors. A source told the AP that the White House will also give the Pentagon authority to carry out security checks for almost all government agencies.

The change aims to fix the dense backlog of people waiting for clearance and the weak points of the security system that were exposed when a Navy contractor killed a dozen people at Washington's Navy Yard in 2013. The contractor had kept his security clearance despite concerns about his mental health and an unreviewed arrest.

The plan to transfer responsibility for the checks from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to the Pentagon are currently in the works. The new program would automatically review workers' records on a regular basis instead of every five to 10 years, as is currently the norm.

The shift of responsibility will give the OPM the chance to get through the backlog of 700,000 workers, about 500,000 of whom are reportedly with the Defense Department. The Defense Department will not take over these cases, as they are already being handled by the OPM.

In the first year, the Pentagon will take over security checks for people seeking to renew their security clearance. The next two years, the Pentagon will take on those seeking an initial security clearance and then also employees who want top secret renewals. 

About the Author

Sydny Shepard is the Executive Editor of Campus Security & Life Safety.

Featured

New Products

  • Luma x20

    Luma x20

    Snap One has announced its popular Luma x20 family of surveillance products now offers even greater security and privacy for home and business owners across the globe by giving them full control over integrators’ system access to view live and recorded video. According to Snap One Product Manager Derek Webb, the new “customer handoff” feature provides enhanced user control after initial installation, allowing the owners to have total privacy while also making it easy to reinstate integrator access when maintenance or assistance is required. This new feature is now available to all Luma x20 users globally. “The Luma x20 family of surveillance solutions provides excellent image and audio capture, and with the new customer handoff feature, it now offers absolute privacy for camera feeds and recordings,” Webb said. “With notifications and integrator access controlled through the powerful OvrC remote system management platform, it’s easy for integrators to give their clients full control of their footage and then to get temporary access from the client for any troubleshooting needs.”

  • Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden Door Controls has relaunched its CV-7600 card readers in response to growing market demand for a more secure alternative to standard proximity credentials that can be easily cloned. CV-7600 readers support MIFARE DESFire EV1 & EV2 encryption technology credentials, making them virtually clone-proof and highly secure.

  • Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden Door Controls is pleased to announce that, in response to soaring customer demand, it has expanded its range of ValueWave™ no-touch switches to include a narrow (slimline) version with manual override. This override button is designed to provide additional assurance that the request to exit switch will open a door, even if the no-touch sensor fails to operate. This new slimline switch also features a heavy gauge stainless steel faceplate, a red/green illuminated light ring, and is IP65 rated, making it ideal for indoor or outdoor use as part of an automatic door or access control system. ValueWave™ no-touch switches are designed for easy installation and trouble-free service in high traffic applications. In addition to this narrow version, the CM-221 & CM-222 Series switches are available in a range of other models with single and double gang heavy-gauge stainless steel faceplates and include illuminated light rings.