Security and Incident Preparedness at VA Medical Facilities

VA is responsible for securing its 171 nationwide medical facilities. Persistent police staffing shortages and growing concerns about incidents that put VA staff, patients, and visitors at risk led the OIG to conduct this review to provide VA leaders with a snapshot of observed conditions. OIG teams visited 70 VA medical facilities in September 2022 and assessed whether each had established minimum security plans and taken required actions in accordance with VA policy. The OIG identified multiple security vulnerabilities and deficiencies, most notably staffing shortages that contributed to the lack of a visible and active police presence. To meet VA’s established security requirements, facilities will need to fill police officer vacancies, as employing sufficient security personnel and correcting security weaknesses are inextricably linked. Other measures facilities can take to improve campus security include increasing security personnel resources, such as suitable police operations rooms, operable surveillance cameras with consistent monitoring, and adequate equipment, as well as securing doors and restricting public access to high-risk areas. Facilities could also improve communication with local law enforcement and incident readiness trainings. VA concurred with the OIG’s six recommendations: (1) delegating a responsible official to monitor and report monthly on facilities’ security-related vacancies; (2) authorizing sufficient staff to inspect VA police forces per the OIG’s 2018 unimplemented recommendation; (3) ensuring medical facility directors appropriately assess VA police staffing needs, authorize associated positions, and leverage available mechanisms to fill vacancies; (4) committing sufficient resources to ensure that facility security measures are adequate, current, and operational; (5) directing VISN police chiefs, in coordination with medical facility directors, facility police chiefs, and facility emergency management leaders, to present a plan to remedy identified security weaknesses; and (6) establishing policy that standardizes the review and retention requirements for facility security camera footage.