DHS IG Says Air Marshals Sleep, Take Drugs On Job

Federal Air Marshals have been found sleeping on the job, have tested positive for drugs and alcohol -- also while on the job -- have lost their weapons and have lied in their reports.

That's the finding of a report from the Department of Homeland Security's Inspector General, which counted 753 incidents of Air Marshal misconduct during eight months in 2002.

"In many cases, air marshals were placed on administrative leave for extended periods of time," the report said, as quoted in USA Today. "In similar cases, a screener (security checkpoint worker) would have been placed on leave without pay or dismissed."

The report also said 161 Air Marshal applicants made it at least partway through the hiring process, even though they had problems with alcoholism, drunk driving, domestic violence or sexual harassment.

DHS Deputy Secretary Asa Hutchison said a program is already in place to address the department's findings. New rules, he said, make marshals more accountable.

USA Today reports he disputed the reports finding of 753 disciplinary reports in 2002 alone. Instead, he said those reports were written over a 22-month period from 2002 to 2004. And besides, he said, there were really only 717 such incidents.

As to the nature of the infractions, Hutchison wrote in a response obtained by USA Today that most cases were "much less serious, but much more common allegations ... like rude behavior by a (federal air marshal) during the check-in process."

FMI: www.dhs.gov