2 Secret Service Agents Caught Sleeping On The Job — CBS News

In the wake of radio failures when a fence-jumper got inside the White House in September 2014, auditors with the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General rode around to various sites with Secret Service staff. They found one officer at an embassy post and another stationed at the White House complex who appeared to be asleep while on duty. The inquiry found that officers reported having to work 12-hour shifts 13 days in a row, followed by just one day off, NBC News reports. The officers found asleep, who were not identified, have been referred for disciplinary action.

Overscheduling has plagued the Secret Service in the recent past, especially the Secret Service’s Uniform Division officers, who provide security at the White House and the vice president’s residence at the Naval Observatory. CBS News reports the inspector general is citing the agency’s “staffing and scheduling” as contributing to officer fatigue. “The result, according to all, is an exhausted work force with low morale”.

“In at least one instance, the officer traveled from Kenya to Washington D.C. for a protective assignment and recorded a 36-hour shift, which included operational preparations for travel on a military aircraft”, the report said. “We felt it was important to bring these issues to your attention immediately as these issues impact officer safety and the agency’s ability to meet its mission”.

Clancy, a retired Secret Service agent, took over control of the agency last October after a series of blunders and embarrassing revelations befell the agency under his predecessor, Julia Pierson. Both incidents took place this summer, but according to Secret Service officials, there is plenty of water available in break rooms and drinking fountains and officers are permitted to bring water to their posts. Earlier this month, the Secret Service apologized to Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, for violating federal privacy law by improperly accessing sensitive personal information about him dozens of times in little more than a week. But Service officials said that was misleading, as he only worked 24 hours of overtime in the two weeks prior and had five days off during that time.

Still, Secret Service Director Joseph Clancy is promising to improve staffing numbers to cut back on hours, which could mean increasing the number of agents by 85 and the number of officers by 200.