InkyP1
September 4, 2004, 01:05 PM
(Associated Press Release)
The Government hired air marshal's accused of domestic violence, drunken driving and sexual harrassment, and doesn't hold them to a high enough standard of conduct the Homeland Security Department's inspector general says. "Many federal air marshals were granted access to classified information after displaying questionable judgement, irresponsibility and emotinally unstable behavior," Inspector General Clark Kent Ervin said in a report released yesterday.
Thousand of air marshals were rushed into service after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The exact number is classified and the marshals travel undercover, but pilots say they guard only a small percentage of daily flights. Disciplinary problems with the air marshalls arose in 2003. Managers within Federal Air Marshall service subsequently found that some had financial, employment and criminal problems in the past, the report said. Of 161 cases, 62 had been accused of domestic violence or assault, drunk driving or sexual harrassment, and half of those were arrested at least twice in the past decade.
Between February and October 2002, there were 753 documented reports of sleeping on duty, lying, testing positive for alcohol or illegal drugs while on the job or losing weapons, the report said. In many cases, air marshals were suspended with pay. Federal airport screeners would have been fired or suspended without pay for similar offenses, the report said. "Since air marshals are weapon-carrying law enforcement officers, they can and should be held to a standard of conduct at least as high as that of screeners".
Department undersecretary, Asa Hutchinson said many accusations of misconduct were less severe--for example, for rudeness or tardiness - than
the inspector general reported. He said 101 air marshals were fired between March 2002 and March 2004. Thirty-two more quit rather than be fired, he said.
The Government hired air marshal's accused of domestic violence, drunken driving and sexual harrassment, and doesn't hold them to a high enough standard of conduct the Homeland Security Department's inspector general says. "Many federal air marshals were granted access to classified information after displaying questionable judgement, irresponsibility and emotinally unstable behavior," Inspector General Clark Kent Ervin said in a report released yesterday.
Thousand of air marshals were rushed into service after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The exact number is classified and the marshals travel undercover, but pilots say they guard only a small percentage of daily flights. Disciplinary problems with the air marshalls arose in 2003. Managers within Federal Air Marshall service subsequently found that some had financial, employment and criminal problems in the past, the report said. Of 161 cases, 62 had been accused of domestic violence or assault, drunk driving or sexual harrassment, and half of those were arrested at least twice in the past decade.
Between February and October 2002, there were 753 documented reports of sleeping on duty, lying, testing positive for alcohol or illegal drugs while on the job or losing weapons, the report said. In many cases, air marshals were suspended with pay. Federal airport screeners would have been fired or suspended without pay for similar offenses, the report said. "Since air marshals are weapon-carrying law enforcement officers, they can and should be held to a standard of conduct at least as high as that of screeners".
Department undersecretary, Asa Hutchinson said many accusations of misconduct were less severe--for example, for rudeness or tardiness - than
the inspector general reported. He said 101 air marshals were fired between March 2002 and March 2004. Thirty-two more quit rather than be fired, he said.