14 DAY TRIAL // The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is an organization whose main goal is to protect the country and its citizens, but as in all companies, some bad apples are bound to emerge. A report from the DHS’s Office of Investigations reveals that in 2011 there were at least 318 bad apples.
The figures show that there were 19.848 allegations received and reviewed. As a result, 318 employees were arrested, of which 260 were convicted. The ones found guilty of their crimes were ordered to pay fines and restitutions totaling tens of millions of dollars.
But what did these “bad” employees actually do?
For instance, a Customs and Border Protection (CPB) officer who served the organization for 8 years prior to his arrested gave drug traffickers his work schedule and lane assignments. The crooks used the information to ensure that every time they smuggled illegal substances they would do it on the officer’s shift and on his lane.
Another employee – this time a rookie from the US Border Patrol – attempted to tip off smugglers on the technology used by authorities to prevent them from committing their crimes. He sold them trail maps, sensor location maps and even told them everything he knew about communications terminology.
CPB officers were not only identified as accepting bribes and helping traffickers. One of them was accused of using his computer to search for illegal adult content involving children. After being interviewed he confessed to his crimes and was handed a 20 month prison sentence.
Last week we looked at the interesting items the TSA is finding in airport passengers’ handbags. As it turns out, in some cases they apply the “finders keepers” rule, even if the items are not illegal.
Between October 2009 and September 2010, a TSA screener from Newark Liberty International Airport stole items and money totaling up to around $30,000 (€24,000) from those who underwent checkpoint screening.
There you have it! A lot of mischiefs are going on within the DHS, but before you rush to judge them and call them corrupt, you must know that there are a total of 225,000 employees who work for the agency. Furthermore, in 2011, the number of arrests decreased from the 519 recorded in the previous year.