Senate Bill Maps Reform Of Federal Protective Service

Four members of the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee introduced S. 3806 on Monday to reform the Federal Protective Service, a DHS agency that provides security for 9,000 federal buildings across the country. FPS says it employs 900 law enforcement security officers and 15,000 contract guards; the bill would provide funding for FPS to hire 500 additional full-time employees (it has 1,225 currently) during the next four years.

The bill, named the SECURE Facilities Act, was introduced by Committee Chairman Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., Ranking Member Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Sens. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, and George Voinovich, R-Ohio.

At the panel's request, the Government Accountability Office issued eight reports about FPS between 2004 and 2010 citing inadequate training and oversight of guards, as well as outdated standards and manuals guiding guard behavior. GAO investigators tested the security service by bringing bomb-making materials through security at high-security facilities and wandering the halls, according to the committee.

The bill would require FPS to maintain testing programs to assess the training of guards and establish procedures for retraining or terminating ineffective ones. It would require DHS to set performance-based standards for checkpoint detection technologies for explosives and other threats at federal facilities, and it would allow FPS officers to carry firearms off duty.

Featured

New Products

  • Compact IP Video Intercom

    Viking’s X-205 Series of intercoms provide HD IP video and two-way voice communication - all wrapped up in an attractive compact chassis.

  • HD2055 Modular Barricade

    Delta Scientific’s electric HD2055 modular shallow foundation barricade is tested to ASTM M50/P1 with negative penetration from the vehicle upon impact. With a shallow foundation of only 24 inches, the HD2055 can be installed without worrying about buried power lines and other below grade obstructions. The modular make-up of the barrier also allows you to cover wider roadways by adding additional modules to the system. The HD2055 boasts an Emergency Fast Operation of 1.5 seconds giving the guard ample time to deploy under a high threat situation.

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.