DHS Is Slow to Hire Law 

Enforcement Personnel
 

October 31, 2016 

OIG-17-05 
 

 

DHS OIG HIGHLIGHTS 

DHS Is Slow to Hire Law Enforcement Personnel 

October 31, 2016 

Why We 

Did This 

Inspection 

Congress has expressed 

concerns about the 

Department’s hiring 

process, particularly 

about the ability of its 

law enforcement 

components to hire 

personnel in a timely 

manner. We reviewed 

hiring in three 

components to 

determine whether they 

fill law enforcement 

positions effectively and 

efficiently. 

What We 

Recommend 

We are making five 

recommendations to 

improve the efficiency of 

Department and 

component law 

enforcement hiring 

practices. 

For Further Information: 

Contact our Office of Public Affairs 

at (202) 254-4100, or email us at 

DHS-OIG.OfficePublicAffairs@oig.dhs.gov 

What We Found 

Although U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and 

the United States Secret Service have been able to 

maintain staffing levels close to the authorized 

number of law enforcement personnel, they 

continue to have significant delays in hiring. The 

additional steps in the hiring process for law 

enforcement applicants contribute to the length of 

time it takes to hire law enforcement officers, but 

the components also do not have the staff or 

comprehensive automated systems needed to hire 

personnel as efficiently as possible. Although they 

have taken steps to reduce the time it takes to 

hire law enforcement personnel, it is too early to 

measure the long-term effects of the Department’s 

and the components’ recent actions. The inability 

to hire law enforcement personnel in a timely 

manner may lead to shortfalls in staffing, which 

can affect workforce productivity and morale, as 

well as potentially disrupt mission critical 

operations. 

DHS’ Response 

The Department concurred with our 

recommendations and is taking steps to address 

them. Based on the components’ response to the 

draft report, we consider one recommendation 

unresolved and open and four recommendations 

resolved and open. 

www.oig.dhs.gov OIG-17-05 
OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL 

Department of Homeland Security 

Washington, DC 20528 / www.oig.dhs.gov 

October 31 , 2016 

MEMORANDUM FOR: 

FROM: 

The Honorable Russell C. Deyo 

Under Secretary for Management 

John Roth ~""--'\(oh. Inspector General 

SUBJECT: DHS Is Slow to Hire Law Enforcement Personnel 

Attached for your information is our final report, DHS is Slow to Hire Law 

Enforcement Personnel. We incorporated the formal comments from the 

Department's Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer, U.S. Customs and 

Border Protection, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Secret 

Service in the final report. 

The report contains five recommendations aimed at improving DHS' operations. 

The Department concurred with all five recommendations. Based on 

information provided in your response to the draft report, we consider one 

recommendation unresolved and open and four recommendations resolved and 

open. As prescribed by the Department ofHomeland Security Directive 077-01, 

Follow-Up and Resolutions for Office ofInspector General Report 

Recommendations, within 90 days of the date of this memorandum, please 

provide our office with a written response that includes your (1) corrective 

action plan and (2) target completion date for each recommendation. Also, 

please include responsible parties and any other supporting documentation 

necessary to inform us about the current status of the recommendation. 

Consistent with our responsibility under the Inspector General Act, we will 

provide copies of our report to congressional committees with oversight and 

appropriation responsibility over the Department of Homeland Security. 

We will post the report on our website for public dissemination. 

Please call me with any questions, or your staff may contact Anne L. Richards, 

Assistant Inspector General, Office of Inspections and Evaluations, at 

(202) 254-4100. 

Attachment 
 

 

 

 

 

OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL 

Department of Homeland Security 

Table of Contents 

Background .................................................................................................... 1
 

Results of Inspection ....................................................................................... 2
 

CBP, ICE, and the Secret Service Are Slow to Hire Law Enforcement 

Personnel .............................................................................................. 2
 

Recommendations........................................................................................... 8 

DHS and the Components Have Taken Steps to Improve the Law 

Enforcement Hiring Process................................................................... 6
 

Components Are Not Meeting Targeted Hiring Timeframes ..................... 9
 

Recommendations......................................................................................... 10 

Other Observations ....................................................................................... 11
 

Appendixes 

Appendix A: Objective, Scope, and Methodology ............................................ 12
 

Appendix B: Management Comments to the Draft Report .............................. 13
 

Appendix C: Steps in Law Enforcement Hiring Processes at CBP, ICE, and the 

Secret Service ...................................................................................... 18
 

Appendix D: Incorrect Time-to-Hire Data Reported by DHS OCHCO .............. 21
 

Appendix E: Office of Inspections and Evaluations Major Contributors to This 

Report ................................................................................................. 23
 

Appendix F: Report Distribution.................................................................... 24
 

Abbreviations 

CBP U.S. Customs and Border Protection 

e-QIP Electronic Questionnaires for Investigative Processing 

ICE U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement 

OCHCO Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer 

OIG Office of Inspector General 

OPM Office of Personnel Management 

PFT physical fitness test 

PMO Frontline Hiring Management Office 

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OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL 

Department of Homeland Security 

Background
 

The Department of Homeland Security employs the largest number of Federal 

law enforcement officers, combined, than any other agency. As of September 

30, 2015, DHS law enforcement components had more than 70,000 authorized 

law enforcement positions. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. 

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the Secret Service have the 

largest number of authorized law enforcement positions in DHS. 

DHS law enforcement personnel perform various functions, including providing 

protective services; securing the nation’s borders; providing interagency law 

enforcement training; and enforcing the nation’s economic, transportation, and 

infrastructure components. 

In recent years, Congress expressed concerns about DHS’ hiring process, 

particularly in its law enforcement components. According to a 2015 House 

Appropriations Committee report, “For the last few years, DHS has suffered 

from the inability to hire people in a timely manner. Lengthy hiring in addition 

to chronic and systemic personnel shortfalls jeopardizes DHS’ homeland 

security mission.”1 The Senate and House Appropriations Committees also 

faulted DHS for its inability to describe how long each step in the hiring 

process takes and its failure to link process improvements to their impact on 

hiring. Additionally, Congress expressed concern about the accuracy of the 

Department’s time-to-hire reports. 

Congress acknowledged law enforcement agencies must maintain a rigorous 

hiring process to ensure bad actors, or those who have been or could become 

compromised, are not inadvertently employed. In addition to the standard 

hiring procedures for applicants seeking Federal employment, which includes 

submitting an application, being interviewed, and undergoing a background 

investigation, Federal law enforcement applicants must complete other steps, 

which may include a written examination, medical examination, physical 

fitness test, and a polygraph examination. Typically, law enforcement 

applicants must successfully complete each step before proceeding to the next. 

Appendix C contains details of the law enforcement hiring processes at CBP, 

ICE, and the Secret Service. 

The Senate and House Appropriations Committees asked the DHS Office of 

Inspector General (OIG) to identify areas of delay in various components’ hiring 

processes, as well as best practices that could be shared across components. 

Our objective was to determine whether DHS fills law enforcement vacancies 

effectively and efficiently. 

1 House Report 114–215, Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Bill, 2016, July 21, 

2015, accompanying Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2016, H.R. 3128 

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We focused our review on CBP, ICE, and the Secret Service because these 

components have the largest number of law enforcement personnel and have 

similar hiring practices. We examined the hiring processes for the following 

positions: 

x CBP Border Patrol Agents 

x CBP Customs and Border Protection Officers 

x CBP Air Interdiction Agents and Marine Interdiction Agents 

x ICE Criminal Investigators 

x ICE Deportation Officers 

x Secret Service Special Agents 

x Secret Service Uniformed Division Officers 

Specifically, we reviewed (1) the effectiveness of the three components in filling 

vacant positions; (2) the timeliness of the hiring process, including areas of 

delays; and (3) process improvements implemented by the three components. 

Results of Inspection 

Although CBP, ICE, and the Secret Service have been able to maintain staffing 

levels close to the authorized number of law enforcement personnel, they 

continue to have significant delays in hiring. The additional steps in the hiring 

process for law enforcement applicants contribute to the length of time it takes 

to hire law enforcement officers, but the components also do not have the staff 

or comprehensive automated systems needed to hire personnel as efficiently as 

possible. Although they have taken steps to reduce the time it takes to hire law 

enforcement personnel, it is too early to measure the long-term effects of the 

Department’s and the components’ recent actions. The inability to hire law 

enforcement personnel in a timely manner may lead to shortfalls in staffing, 

which can affect workforce productivity and morale, as well as potentially 

disrupt mission critical operations. 

CBP, ICE, and the Secret Service Are Slow to Hire Law Enforcement 

Personnel 

Hiring law enforcement personnel efficiently to fill law enforcement positions is 

key to sustaining and improving operations and accomplishing the 

Department’s critical missions. From fiscal year (FY) 2011 through FY 2015, 

the three components came close to meeting authorized hiring levels for law 

enforcement personnel. During this period, in all but three instances, the three 

components filled 90 percent or more of the seven authorized law enforcement 

positions that we examined. In FYs 2012 and 2013, ICE filled 88 percent and 

85 percent, respectively, of Criminal Investigator positions. In FY 2015, the 

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OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL 

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Secret Service filled 87 percent of Uniformed Division Officer positions. These 

percentages represent authorized law enforcement personnel onboard as of the 

last day of each fiscal year, so the percentages may have fluctuated during the 

fiscal year. 

Table 1 shows the percentage of authorized law enforcement personnel onboard 

as of the last day of each fiscal year from FYs 2011 through 2015. 

Table 1: Percentage of CBP, ICE, and Secret Service Authorized Law 

Enforcement Positions Filled, FYs 2011–15 

FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013 FY 2014 FY 2015 

CBP CBP Officers 98% 100% 100% 97% 96% 

Border Patrol Agents 100% 100% 100% 97% 94% 

Air/Marine

Interdiction Agents 97% 95% 99% 95% 91% 

ICE Deportation Officers 91% 93% 91% 93% 91% 

Criminal Investigators 90% 88% 85% 91% 91% 

Secret 

Service 

Special Agents 100% 97% 94% 100% 95% 

Uniformed Division 

Officers 

100% 97% 93% 94% 87% 

Source: OIG analysis of CBP, ICE, and Secret Service hiring data 

Although the three components came close to meeting authorized hiring levels 

for law enforcement personnel, all three had difficulty hiring law enforcement 

applicants in a timely manner. Since FY 2011, CBP, ICE, and the Secret 

Service have, on average, shortened the time it takes to hire law enforcement 

personnel, but as of FY 2015, it still took these components between 212 and 

359 days to hire law enforcement officers. Currently, there is no established 

benchmark for hiring Federal law enforcement personnel. 

Table 2 shows, from FYs 2011 through 2015, the average number of days it 

took to hire a law enforcement applicant from the date a job announcement 

closed to the date the applicant was hired. 

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Table 2: CBP, ICE, and Secret Service Average Days-to-Hire, FYs 2011–15 

FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013 FY 2014 FY 2015 

CBP CBP Officers 406 505 390 –* 221 

Border Patrol Agents 598 – 420 312 282 

Air/Marine 

Interdiction Agents 456 384 286 375 220 

ICE Deportation Officers – 1,161 – – 212 

Criminal Investigators – 357 – 182 219 

Secret 

Service 

Special Agents 286 – 482 441 298 

Uniformed Division 

Officers 

– – 294 272 359 

*A dash indicates the component did not hire during that fiscal year. 

Note: We calculated the average number of days to hire for each fiscal year based on those 

applicants who were hired through job announcements issued during that particular fiscal 

year, and not on applicants hired during the fiscal year. 

Source: OIG analysis of CBP, ICE, and Secret Service hiring data 

Staffing Is Not Sufficient to Process Law Enforcement Applicants Quickly 

Officials from the components said they lack the staff to support hiring, which 

slows the processing of applicants. Insufficient staff can delay applicants’ 

progression through some of the necessary steps in the hiring process. At the 

Secret Service, for example, the lack of staff has affected completion of 

polygraph examinations and background investigations of applicants. Special 

Agents in field offices conduct polygraph examinations and background 

investigations as collateral duties. Officials explained it is difficult for these 

Special Agents to complete these collateral duties because their primary 

investigative and protective functions take precedence. In FY 2015, the Secret 

Service’s security clearance process, including polygraph examinations and 

background investigations, for Uniformed Division Officers averaged 200 days. 

In an election year, Secret Service officials said it will take even longer to 

complete background investigations and polygraph examinations, which will 

mean significant hiring delays for applicants. 

More generally, all of DHS has experienced a reduction in mission support 

functions, including human resources personnel. Hiring freezes and attrition 

have affected staffing levels of human resources personnel across the 

Department and delayed applicant processing and hiring. For example, 

because only 3 human resource specialists were available to process 

approximately 3,000 entry-level Deportation Officer applicants during an FY 

2015 hiring surge, ICE pulled 6 additional staff within the Office of Human 

Capital to process these applicants. According to ICE officials, the staff worked 

overtime hours, totaling approximately $17,000. ICE’s need for permanent 

human resource staff to process applicants was also evident in FY 2016 when 

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the agency planned to double the number of new entry-level Criminal 

Investigators. CBP and the Secret Service also recently lacked sufficient human 

resources personnel to support law enforcement hiring. At the end of FY 2015, 

14 percent of CBP’s human resources positions that support law enforcement 

hiring were vacant; for the Secret Service, 32 percent were vacant. 

Inadequate Systems to Track and Process Applicants Slow Hiring 

In addition to insufficient human resources staffing, some components do not 

have comprehensive automated systems to efficiently process and track law 

enforcement applicants. Unlike CBP, which has one automated system to track 

applicants through the entire hiring process after selection, ICE and Secret 

Service use multiple systems. For example, ICE uses six systems, which ICE 

officials said are not user friendly or well designed. Further, according to these 

officials, the systems require manual data entry, and large amounts of data 

have to be moved among the various systems. The Secret Service uses two 

applicant tracking systems and, according to component officials, although one 

system is customized, the systems do not communicate with each other. The 

systems also require manual manipulation of data, making it difficult and 

cumbersome to process large numbers of applicants. CBP officials told us that 

even with one system, information must still be transferred to and from other 

systems, making it difficult to “seamlessly” analyze data and track applicants. 

In addition, unlike CBP and ICE, the Secret Service does not use the webbased, automated Electronic Questionnaires for Investigations Processing (eQIP) system for applicants to submit their Standard Form 86, Questionnaire for 

National Security Positions (SF 86), during the background investigation. 

Rather, it requires applicants to email the document to Secret Service staff, 

who then print it out and review it manually. The electronic SF 86 only 

contains pages the applicant has completed; the paper version is the entire 

140-page document, including pages not completed. One Secret Service official 

described the process as a “paper mill,” with boxes of applicant files filling an 

entire room. 

Having to enter data manually, move data among several systems, and review 

paper documents lengthens the already extensive hiring process and 

introduces the possibility of data entry errors. Even during our review, when 

we requested applicant data from FYs 2011 to 2015, the lack of a 

comprehensive, automated system made it difficult for ICE and the Secret 

Service to provide the data. When analyzing the two components’ data, we also 

noted data entry errors. 

The inability to hire law enforcement personnel efficiently can affect the 

workforce and, in turn, the missions of these components. During April 2016 

testimony before the House Committee on Homeland Security, a union official 

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OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL 

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representing CBP Officers stated, “There is no greater roadblock to legitimate 

trade and travel efficiency than the lack of sufficient staff at the ports. 

Understaffed ports lead to long delays in commercial lanes ... and also create a 

significant hardship for CBP employees.” In a previous OIG report we found 

that staffing shortages for Uniformed Division Officers led to inadequate 

training, fatigue, low morale, and attrition.2 An internal Secret Service report 

described similar effects on Special Agents. Delays in hiring could result in 

Secret Service personnel working longer hours, with fewer days off and less 

opportunity to receive training. Insufficient law enforcement staff can also 

impact ICE’s mission, especially when it is increasing its immigration 

enforcement and removal operations. 

Recommendations 

We recommend that the Directors of ICE and the Secret Service: 

Recommendation 1: Prioritize and dedicate full-time human resources, 

investigative, or polygraph personnel as needed to help process law 

enforcement applicants. 

Recommendation 2: Establish an automated method to track applicants 

throughout the entire law enforcement hiring process. 

We recommend that the Director of the Secret Service: 

Recommendation 3: Adopt the e-QIP system for applicants to submit 

information during their background investigation. 

Management Comments 

We evaluated DHS’s written comments and made changes to the report where 

we deemed appropriate. A summary of the written response to the report 

recommendations and our analysis of the response follow each set of 

recommendations. A copy of DHS’s response, in its entirety, is included as 

appendix B. In addition, technical comments received were incorporated into 

the report where appropriate. 

ICE and the Secret Service concurred with Recommendation 1. ICE plans to 

continue detailing staff members from other branches with the Office of Human 

Capital to help process law enforcement applicants until additional resources 

are available. ICE estimated this would be completed by August 30, 2017. The 

Secret Service dedicates full-time Federal Government employees and 

2 2014 White House Fence Jumping Incident, OIG-16-64, April 16, 2016 

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OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL 

Department of Homeland Security 

contractor support staff to process law enforcement applicants, and it can 

request additional contractor support staff during peak processing times. The 

Secret Service’s Office of Human Resources also intends to recruit a polygraph 

examining investigator to assist with applicant processing. The Secret Service 

estimated this would be completed by December 31, 2016. 

ICE and Secret Service concurred with Recommendation 2. According to ICE, 

the Office of Human Capital is currently reviewing potential automated 

tracking systems to improve its hiring process. The estimated completion date 

is August 30, 2017. The Secret Service Office of Human Resources is working 

to create a tracking management system and dashboard to automate and 

streamline the entire application process. The system, which will be 

implemented in phases, will ultimately consolidate the separate databases 

currently used to manage applications and have a dashboard for real-time 

status updates on applicants. The Secret Service estimated this would be 

completed by September 30, 2017. 

The Secret Service concurred with Recommendation 3 and expects to begin 

using e-QIP for applicants during the second quarter of FY 2017. 

OIG Analysis of Management Comments 

ICE’s and the Secret Service’s planned actions are not responsive to 

Recommendation 1. ICE did not describe how many or what type of additional 

resources would be made available to process law enforcement applicants. We 

also believe that one additional polygraph examining investigator will not 

substantially ease the burden of Special Agents in field offices who conduct 

polygraph examinations and background investigations as collateral duties. We 

consider the recommendation unresolved and open. We will close this 

recommendation when ICE confirms the number and type of additional human 

resources staff who are permanently available to process law enforcement 

applicants and when the Secret Service hires more than one full-time 

polygraph examiner to help process law enforcement applicants. 

ICE’s and the Secret Service’s planned actions are responsive to 

Recommendation 2. We consider the recommendation resolved and open. We 

will close the recommendation when the two components implement automated 

systems to track applicants throughout the entire law enforcement hiring 

process. 

The Secret Service’s planned action is responsive to Recommendation 3. We 

consider the recommendation resolved and open. We will close this 

recommendation when the Secret Service adopts the e-QIP system for all 

applicants to submit information during their background investigation. 

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OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL 

Department of Homeland Security 

DHS and the Components Have Taken Steps to Improve the Law 

Enforcement Hiring Process 

The Department, CBP, ICE, and the Secret Service have all implemented 

changes to improve their law enforcement hiring processes and shorten the 

amount of time it takes to hire personnel, but because most of the 

improvements are relatively new, their long-term success cannot yet be 

measured. 

In the fourth quarter of FY 2015, the DHS Office of the Chief Human Capital 

Officer (OCHCO) began a time-to-hire initiative. The purpose of the initiative is 

to methodically track hiring throughout the Department, which will help show 

trends, determine areas of delay in the hiring process, and streamline the 

process. As part of this initiative, OCHCO collects data on what it considers to 

be commonly measurable hiring process steps for five positions, including four 

law enforcement positions covered in our review. OCHCO chose these positions 

to be part of the initiative because they have the highest time-to-hire averages, 

receive internal and external scrutiny, have high applicant volume, include 

complex multi-step hiring processes, and are mission-critical occupations. 

All three components have also established hiring events that allow applicants 

to complete several steps in the hiring process in one location. For example, at 

the Secret Service’s expedited hiring events, applicants may complete a written 

examination, undergo two required interviews, and either schedule or take 

their polygraph examination, depending on the applicant’s progress and 

availability of resources. In FY 2014, it took an average of 272 days to hire all 

Uniformed Division Officers. But when we separated the applicants who 

attended a hiring event from those who did not, we found that applicants hired 

through these events were hired in 192 days versus 290 days for all other 

applicants. Similarly, according to officials, CBP’s expedited hiring events have 

decreased the time-to-hire for qualified applicants by 63 percent and 

eliminated unqualified candidates more quickly. Because ICE only began 

expedited hiring events for entry level Deportation Officer applicants in FY 

2016, we could not verify whether these events have improved ICE’s hiring 

process. 

CBP and the Secret Service have also created internal teams to address hiring 

challenges. In February 2015, CBP created its Frontline Hiring Program 

Management Office (PMO). Through the PMO, CBP identified the steps in the 

hiring process with the most delays and the number of applicants who failed 

each step. For instance, when PMO’s hiring model data showed medical 

examinations were slowing down the hiring process, CBP hired additional 

nurses to review applicants’ medical files. In November 2015, the Secret Service 

created the Applicant Coordinating Center to further monitor applicant hiring, 

specifically during the polygraph examination, medical examination, and 

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OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL 

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background phases of the process. The Applicant Coordinating Center is 

staffed with a polygraph examiner, nurse, security clearance adjudicator, and a 

human resources specialist who track applicants through the hiring process. 

Components Are Not Meeting Targeted Hiring Timeframes 

Despite improvements, CBP, ICE, and the Secret Service continue to fall short 

of the time-to-hire goals established by the Office of Personnel Management 

(OPM) and, in some instances, by the components themselves. 

OPM’s September 2008 hiring initiative3 recommends agencies strive to hire 

applicants in 80 days, which is unrealistic for these three components. OPM’s 

goal does not take into account the realities that lengthen CBP’s, ICE’s, and the 

Secret Service’s hiring processes for law enforcement applicants. As mentioned 

previously, in addition to the standard hiring procedures for applicants seeking 

Federal employment, law enforcement applicants normally complete other 

steps, such as a medical examination and a polygraph examination. Typically, 

law enforcement applicants must successfully complete each step before 

proceeding to the next. OPM’s timeframe does not take into account these 

additional steps in the extensive hiring process. 

DHS has not established time-to-hire goals for law enforcement personnel at 

the three components, but instead measures their timeliness based on the 

components’ established timeframes, which are either nonexistent or 

impractical. For example, CBP has not established internal hiring timeframes. 

According to CBP, it has chosen not to set unattainable hiring expectations 

until it can establish a consistent baseline based on recent initiatives. CBP 

officials told us its Office of Professional Responsibility4 may process 5,000 

polygraph examinations in one period and 1,000 in another, making it 

impossible to predict how long the polygraph examination step will take. In 

contrast, ICE uses law enforcement hiring timeframes it created in FY 2011 

based on historical patterns, but still does not always meet them. In 2014, the 

Secret Service implemented an 118-day hiring target for its law enforcement 

applicants, but on average failed to meet this timeframe in FY 2014 and FY 

2015 for both Special Agents and Uniformed Division Officers. 

Components have improved their time-to-hire averages, but will likely not meet 

OPM’s 80-day timeframe, regardless of process improvements. They will only 

meet internal targets that are credible and attainable. Considering the 

complexity of the law enforcement hiring process, DHS should work with CBP, 

ICE, and the Secret Service to establish guidance and realistic timeframe 

3 OPM End-to-End Hiring Initiative, September 2008 

4 CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility screens potential CBP employees for suitability and 

conducts polygraph examinations for law enforcement applicants. 

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targets for their law enforcement hiring. 

We recommend that the DHS’ Chief Human Capital Officer, Commissioner of 

CBP, and the Directors of ICE and the Secret Service: 

Recommendations 

Recommendation 4: Establish performance measures to accurately determine 

the long-term effect of their process improvements. 

Recommendation 5: Establish law enforcement hiring timeframes that 

account for all steps in law enforcement components’ hiring processes. 

Management Comments 

The Department concurred with Recommendation 4. As described in the 

report, OCHCO began a time-to-hire initiative to help identify potential gains in 

efficiencies. As data is collected and analyzed, OCHCO plans to coordinate with 

components to identify department-wide performance measures, with an 

estimated completion date of March 31, 2017. CBP and ICE also plan to 

establish their own performance measures to determine the effects of process 

improvements, with completion dates of June 30, 2017, and August 30, 2017, 

respectively. The Secret Service recently hired a full-time program analyst to 

evaluate the hiring process, including developing recruitment metrics that align 

to hiring objectives. The Secret Service’s estimated completion date is January 

30, 2017. 

The Department concurred with Recommendation 5. As part of its time-to-hire 

initiative, OCHCO collected data on 10 commonly measurable hiring phases for 

law enforcement personnel and estimated it would complete initial analysis of 

the data by March 31, 2017. According to CBP, hiring timeframes that account 

for all steps in the hiring process for law enforcement personnel will be in place 

by June 30, 2017. ICE expects to establish timeframe benchmarks by August 

30, 2017, and the Secret Service will distribute hiring targets by December 31, 

2016. 

OIG Analysis of Management Comments 

The Department’s and the components’ planned actions are responsive to 

Recommendation 4. We consider this recommendation resolved and open. We 

will close this recommendation when OCHCO, ICE, CBP, and the Secret Service 

provide the performance measures for their process improvements. 

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The Department’s planned actions are responsive to Recommendation 5. We 

consider this recommendation resolved and open. We will close this 

recommendation when OCHCO, ICE, CBP, and the Secret Service provide 

hiring timeframes for their law enforcement hiring processes. 

Other Observations 

As part of the Government’s overall effort to improve the hiring process, 

OCHCO was required to report time-to-hire information to OPM and Congress. 

Our analysis indicated that starting in FY 2014, the Department miscalculated 

and reported inaccurate data for some law enforcement positions to OPM and 

Congress. The erroneous data was a result of OCHCO not using a weighted 

average when calculating the average number of days to hire. 

As shown in appendix D, in six of eight quarters starting in FY 2014, OCHCO 

reported the wrong average time-to-hire for Border Patrol Agents. In one 

instance, OCHCO underreported the time-to-hire for Border Patrol Agents by 

more than 200 days. OCHCO also reported the wrong overall time-to-hire to 

Congress for CBP, ICE, and the Secret Service for the first quarter of FY 2015. 

We presented our findings to OCHCO officials who confirmed our calculations 

were accurate. OCHCO has since adjusted its methodology. 

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OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL 

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Appendix A 

Objective, Scope, and Methodology 

DHS OIG was established by the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (Public Law 

107-296) by amendment to the Inspector General Act of 1978. 

We conducted this inspection to determine whether DHS’ law enforcement 

hiring practices are efficient and effective. We compiled data about DHS law 

enforcement positions in CBP, ICE, National Protection and Programs 

Directorate, Transportation Security Administration, the United States Coast 

Guard, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and the Secret Service. After 

receiving the data, we focused our review on the three DHS components with 

the most law enforcement personnel — CBP, ICE, and the Secret Service — 

specifically, their mission-critical positions. 

We examined the hiring policies and procedures from DHS, CBP, ICE, and the 

Secret Service. To calculate time-to-hire in FYs 2011 through 2015, we 

requested information from the three components for all law enforcement 

applicants who were hired through job announcements issued from FY 2011 

through FY 2015. Based on this data, we calculated the average number of 

days to hire from the date the job announcement closed to the date the 

applicant was hired by fiscal year and position. 

We requested CBP, ICE, and Secret Service law enforcement staffing data for 

FYs 2011 through 2015. We also requested components’ law enforcement 

staffing data for human resources, background investigation, and polygraph 

examinations. We did not examine the recruitment or retention practices of the 

components. 

We researched and reviewed Federal Government policies and reports 

governing Federal law enforcement hiring and congressional testimony related 

to DHS hiring. We interviewed officials from the Department’s OCHCO and the 

Office of the Chief Security Officer; component officials from CBP, ICE, National 

Protection and Programs Directorate, Transportation Security Administration, 

the Coast Guard, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Secret 

Service; and OPM. 

We conducted this inspection between November 2015 and June 2016 under 

the authority of the Inspector General Act of 1978, as amended, and according 

to the Quality Standards for Inspection and Evaluation issued by the Council of 

the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency. 

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Appendix B 

Management Comments to the Draft Report 

U.S. Departm<'nt of Homt' land S('cur t~ 

Was hington, DC' 20528 

Homeland 

Security 

October 4, 2016 

MEMORANDUM FOR: 	 John Roth 


Inspector General 


FROM: Ji~ H. Crumpacker, CIA, CF · fv (i\ f 

Director -~ ~-;>"".....li.---­

Departmental GAO-OIG Liai Office \l 

SUBJECT: 	 Management's Response to OIG Draft Report: "DHS is Slow 

to Hire Law Enforcement Personnel" 

(Project No. 16-012-ISP-DHS) 

Thank you for the opportunity to review and comment on this draft report. The U.S. 

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) appreciates the work of the Office of Inspector 

General (OIG) in planning and conducting its review and issuing this report. 

The Department is pleased to note OIG's positive recognition of steps taken by the U.S. 

Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement 

(ICE), and U.S. Secret Service (USSS) to improve their law enforcement hiring 

processes. For example, by creating internal teams to address hiring challenges and 

conducting recruiting events that allow applicants to complete several steps in one 

location, these agencies have been able to recruit, assess and hire a cadre of more than 

60,000 federal law enforcement officers, the largest contingent within the Federal 

government. In addition, a new DHS Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer 

(OCHCO) •'time to hire'' initiative is helping to methodically track hiring data, identify 

trends, determine areas of delay, and streamline the process. DHS is committed to 

achieving its major human capital objectives in support of critically important DHS 

missions while adhering to applicable laws, regulations, and Merit System Principles. 

The draft report contained five recommendations with which the Department concurs. 

Attached find our detailed response to each recommendation. 

Again, thank you for the opportunity to review and comment on this draft report. 

Technical comments were previously provided under separate cover. Please feel free to 

contact me if you have any questions. We look forward to working with you in the 

future. 

Attachment 

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Appendix C 

Steps in Law Enforcement Hiring Processes at CBP, ICE, and 

the Secret Service 

The law enforcement hiring processes for CBP, ICE, and the Secret Service 

typically consist of: 

x Vacancy announcement 

x Application 

x Assessment exam 

x Human resources qualification review 

x Structured oral interview 

x Hiring manager selection 

x Extension of conditional job offer 

x Background investigation 

x Security clearance 

x Polygraph examination5 

x Medical examination 

x Drug test 

x Fitness test6 

x Final applicant review, and 

x Extension of final job offer 

Source: CBP, ICE, and Secret Service 

Hiring steps vary within CBP, ICE, and the Secret Service depending on the 

requirements for each law enforcement position. 

CBP’s Law Enforcement Hiring Process 

CBP’s law enforcement personnel include Criminal Investigators, Air 

Interdiction Agents, Marine Interdiction Agents, CBP Officers, and Border 

Patrol Agents. 

To select all law enforcement occupations except Criminal Investigators, CBP 

uses a competency-based assessment. Once the assessment is complete, CBP 

Human Resources reviews each applicant's qualifications and assessments to 

determine whether the applicant meets the minimum qualifications for the 

5 ICE does not require applicants to undergo pre-employment polygraph examinations as part
 

of its law enforcement hiring process.
 6 The Secret Service does not require applicants to undergo a fitness test as a part of its law 

enforcement hiring process.
 

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position and grade. If met, Human Resources issues a tentative selection letter 

to the applicant. CBP field offices then interview the applicant and collect 

fingerprints and send the interview results to CBP Human Resources for 

processing. 

Successful interview applicants undergo a medical exam and take two physical 

fitness tests (PFT): PFT1 during the pre-employment process and PFT2 prior to 

beginning work and entering basic training. PFT requirements depend on the 

respective job requirements but generally include push-ups and sit-ups. CBP 

nursing staff reviews the medical examination results to determine suitability. 

While undergoing the interview, medical examination, and PFT1, applicants 

complete their SF 86. CBP Human Resources sends applicants’ completed SF 

86s to CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility, which conducts the 

background investigation, administers the required polygraph examination, 

and determines applicants’ suitability. The Anti-Border Corruption Act of 2010 

requires CBP to administer polygraph examinations to all applicants for law 

enforcement positions. Concurrently, CBP Human Resources completes the 

pre-employment hiring process, which includes a drug test. 

Once the applicant completes all phases, CBP Human Resources coordinates 

when the applicant begins work and basic training. 

ICE’s Law Enforcement Hiring Processes 

ICE’s primary law enforcement personnel are Criminal Investigators and 

Deportation Officers. 

Homeland Security Investigations (Criminal Investigators): Applicants must 

complete a series of assessment tests, including an 1811 Occupational 

Questionnaire, as part of the application process. Those applicants who meet 

the cut-off score then take the Special Agent Battery Test and Writing Sample 

Assessment. Applicants who pass both move to the structured oral interview. 

Applicants who pass the structured oral interview receive a tentative selection 

letter and must successfully complete a medical examination, drug test, and 

background investigation. Applicants who clear all of these processes may be 

extended a final job offer. 

Enforcement Removal Operations (Deportation Officers): Applicants must meet 

position eligibility requirements and minimum qualifications before receiving a 

tentative selection offer. Applicants must successfully complete a medical 

examination, fitness test, drug test, structured oral interview, and background 

investigation. Applicants who clear all of these processes may be extended a 

final job offer. 

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At the time of our fieldwork, ICE did not require applicants to undergo preemployment polygraph examinations as part of its law enforcement hiring 

process. According to ICE officials, the Office of Professional Responsibility 

planned to develop a pre-employment polygraph program in FY 2016 and FY 

2017. ICE estimates that by FY 2019, its pre-employment polygraph program 

will be required for all entry-level law enforcement applicants. 

Secret Service’s Law Enforcement Hiring Process 

Secret Service law enforcement personnel include Uniformed Division Officers 

and Special Agents. 

Applicants who meet minimum qualifications are referred to a field office that 

reviews resumés to identify best-qualified applicants. Selected applicants are 

invited to take a written assessment. Those who pass the assessment are 

invited to participate in the Special Agent and Uniformed Division PreEmployment Review interview. Applicants who pass the interview receive a 

conditional job offer; they must complete an SF 86 and successfully pass a 

polygraph examination, background investigation, and medical examination. 

The Secret Service does not require applicants to undergo a fitness test. 

After successfully completing these steps, a hiring panel reviews the applicant 

file and makes a final hiring decision, at which point a final job offer is 

extended to the applicant. 

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Appendix D 

Incorrect Time-to-Hire Data Reported by DHS OCHCO 

Incorrect Data Reported to Congress 

Average Number of Calendar Days to Hire, 

First Quarter, FY 2015 

Difference between 

OIG and OCHCO 

Analysis OIG Analysis OCHCO Data 

Reported to Congress 

CBP 201 411 210 

ICE 147 144 -3 

Secret Service 334 282 -52 

Source: OIG analysis of OCHCO, CBP, ICE and Secret Service data 

Incorrect Time-to-Hire Data Reported to OPM for Border Patrol Agents 

Quarter 

Average Number of Calendar Days to Hire Difference between 

OIG and OCHCO 

Analysis OIG Analysis OCHCO Data 

Reported to OPM 

FY 14, Q1 936 708 -228 

FY 14, Q2 361 539 178 

FY 14, Q3 547 368 -179 

FY 14, Q4 269 260 -9 

FY 15, Q1 249 265 16 

FY 15, Q2 262 262 0 

FY 15, Q3 263 263 0 

FY 15, Q4 325 319 -6 

Source: OIG analysis of OCHCO and CBP data 

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Incorrect Time-to-Hire Data Reported to OPM for CBP Officers 

Quarter 

Average Number of Calendar Days to Hire Difference between 

OIG and OCHCO 

Analysis OIG Analysis OCHCO Data 

Reported to OPM 

FY 15, Q1 216 194 -22 

FY 15, Q2 304 304 0 

FY 15, Q3 261 261 0 

FY 15, Q4 326 330 4 

Source: OIG analysis of OCHCO and CBP data 

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OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL 

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Appendix E 

Office of Inspections and Evaluations Major Contributors to 

This Report 

Angela Garvin, Chief Inspector 

Erika Lang, Lead Inspector 

Ayana Henry, Senior Inspector 

Ja’nelle Taylor, Inspector 

Renita L. Hunter-Caracciolo, Inspector 

Joseph Hernandez, Inspector 

Kelly Herberger, Communications Analyst 

Adam Brown, Independent Referencer 

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Appendix F 

Report Distribution 

Department of Homeland Security 

Secretary 

Deputy Secretary 

Chief of Staff 

Deputy Chiefs of Staff 

General Counsel 

Executive Secretary 

Director, GAO/OIG Liaison Office 

Assistant Secretary for Office of Policy 

Assistant Secretary for Office of Public Affairs 

Assistant Secretary for Office of Legislative Affairs 

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, OIG Liaison Office 

U.S. Coast Guard, OIG Liaison Office 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection, OIG Liaison Office 

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, OIG Liaison Office 

U.S. Secret Service, OIG Liaison Office 

Transportation Security Administration, OIG Liaison Office 

Office of Management and Budget 

Chief, Homeland Security Branch 

DHS OIG Budget Examiner 

Congress 

Congressional Oversight and Appropriations Committees 

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