FBI evaluates measures for securing laptops and weapons
Feb 22, 2007 4:31 PM
The FBI's program for safeguarding its weapons and laptop computers has improved, but there are still shortcomings that must be addressed, according to a Department of Justice (DOJ) report issued Feb. 12.
DOJ Inspector General Glenn A. Fine, who issued the report, said that 160 weapons and 160 laptops were lost or stolen over a 44-month period, Bloomberg News reports.
The FBI could not determine "in many cases" whether the missing computers had contained sensitive or classified information, the report states.
Six of the computers were assigned to the FBI's counterintelligence division, and one was assigned to its counterterrorism division.
The report also found that the bureau had made progress protecting its weapons and laptops since a 2002 review found "significant" losses of both.
The report covered the period from Feb. 1, 2002 to Sept. 30, 2005.
"We recognize that in an organization the size of the FBI, some weapons and laptops will inevitably be stolen or go missing," the report states. "However, it is important that the FBI take appropriate steps to minimize these losses."
The bureau has 52,263 weapons, including semiautomatic pistols, rifles, carbines, shotguns, tear-gas guns and submachine guns, and 26,166 laptops.
John Miller, an assistant director of the bureau, said in a statement that it would take several steps to correct the security problem.
"We acknowledge that more needs to be done to ensure the proper handling of the loss and theft of weapons and laptops, and the information maintained on them."
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