Page 1 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

United States General Accounting Office

Washington, DC 20548

July 5, 2002

The Honorable Richard J. Durbin

Chairman

The Honorable Robert F. Bennett

Ranking Minority Member

Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch

Committee on Appropriations

United States Senate

The Honorable Wilson Livingood

Chairman

The Honorable Alfonso E. Lenhardt

Member

The Honorable Alan M. Hantman

Member

Capitol Police Board

Subject: Review of Potential Merger of the Library of Congress Police and/or the

Government Printing Office Police with the U.S. Capitol Police

In the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and subsequent anthrax

incidents, protecting the Capitol complex1

 has gained greater significance. Currently

there are over 30 police forces operating in the District of Columbia, many of which

have some authority or jurisdiction within the Capitol Hill area. Three of these, the

Library of Congress (LOC) Police, the Government Printing Office (GPO) Police, and

the U.S. Capitol Police (USCP), are part of the legislative branch of the federal

government. This report responds to the requirements of the Senate Committee on

Appropriations’ July 2001 report accompanying the legislative branch appropriations

bill for fiscal year 2002.2

 The Senate committee report directed GAO, in consultation

with all stakeholders, to complete an updated evaluation on the feasibility of

consolidating the LOC Police and/or the GPO Police with the USCP. As stated in the

committee report, an updated evaluation on the feasibility of consolidating these

police forces was deemed important to address the perceived need for consistently

applied security policies and practices, efficient management of resources, and fair

and equitable treatment of law enforcement personnel. The committee report also

directed us to address issues related to ensuring an orderly transition, including the

protection of the rights of affected staff.

 1

The Capitol complex includes, among other things, the United States Capitol, Senate and House office buildings and garages,

the Capitol Power Plant, and various other facilities.

2

S. Rep. No. 107-37, at 25 (2001).
Page 2 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

After discussion with Senate Appropriations committee staff, we agreed to (1)

determine whether it is feasible for the LOC and/or GPO police forces to merge with

the USCP; (2) determine how, if at all, a merger might affect overall security on

Capitol Hill; (3) identify the costs and potential efficiencies associated with merging

the LOC and/or GPO police forces with the USCP; and (4) identify issues that would

need to be addressed prior to a merger, should a merger be deemed desirable.

To address these objectives we reviewed prior reports on potential USCP mergers;

reviewed policies, procedures, and general orders from the LOC, GPO, and USCP

forces; and analyzed available personnel, budget, and cost data. We also interviewed

officials from all three forces and the Capitol Police Board. In addition, we

interviewed officials from the Fraternal Order of Police Labor Committees for the

LOC, GPO, and USCP forces; Metropolitan Police Department of the District of

Columbia; U.S. Supreme Court Police; New York City Police Department;

International Association of Chiefs of Police; a private security consulting firm;

Legislative Branch Emergency Preparedness Task Force; and Office of Personnel

Management.

To complete our analysis, in consultation with the requester’s staff, we made some

general assumptions. To address the application of consistent security policies and

practices and organizational efficiencies, we assumed that the LOC and/or GPO

police forces would become separate divisions of the existing USCP organizational

structure, that a merged force would be governed by a unified chain of command, and

that some or all merged LOC and/or GPO officers would be fungible with the USCP

officers. Additionally, for purposes of calculating increased salary costs and costs to

provide enhanced retirement benefits to merged officers, we assumed that there

would be a 5-year transition period after the implementation of a merger in order to

not adversely affect the rights of staff and to provide fair and equitable treatment.

Five years would allow merged LOC and/or GPO officers time to (1) transition to the

USCP while mitigating the potential adverse effects of a merger, such as the possible

application of the USCP mandatory retirement age to merged officers, and (2) acquire

5 years of service to allow certain officers to maintain enrollment in federal health

insurance programs, if these officers were required to retire in 5 years.

Although merger costs would be incurred over several years, for purposes of our

analysis we estimated the costs as though they were being incurred in the first year.

Specifically, in these cost estimates we included the total present value of increasing

GPO officers’ salaries for the first 5 years of the merger, and did not calculate these

costs beyond that point because after 5 years the composition of the workforce could

change significantly, in part due to mandatory retirement of certain merged officers.

We also included the present value of the increase in the total cost of providing

enhanced retirement benefits to LOC and/or GPO officers. Additionally, we present

the total cost to train some or all merged officers, although these costs might be

spread over several years. Enclosure I provides more detailed information about our

scope and methodology. We conducted our work between January and May 2002 in

accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards.

In April and May 2002, we briefed Committee staff, Capitol Police Board members,

and other interested parties on the results of our review. Enclosure II provides
Page 3 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

summary slides containing updated material from those briefings, and enclosure III

provides detailed information estimating the costs of a potential merger. In this

report we summarize the results of our evaluation and identify four options for

Congress to consider with respect to merging the LOC Police and/or the GPO Police

with the USCP.

Background

Three legislative branch police forces, namely the LOC Police, the GPO Police, and

the USCP, are located on or within a few blocks of the Capitol complex. The USCP is

by far the largest of these three police forces, with 1,208 police officers3

 and a fiscal

year 2003 budget request of about $220 million. The LOC Police, with 122 officers, is

part of LOC’s Office of Security, which in fiscal year 2003 submitted a budget request

of about $14 million. The GPO Police, with 53 officers, is part of GPO’s Physical

Security Group, whose fiscal year 2003 budget is about $3.9 million.4

The USCP is responsible for securing the 276-acre Capitol complex; protecting

Members of Congress, their staff, 19 buildings, national treasures, and visitors; and

regulating traffic within the Capitol grounds. The USCP has both a primary and

extended jurisdiction. The USCP’s primary jurisdiction includes the Capitol and its

surrounding office buildings and grounds. Beyond the boundaries of its primary

jurisdiction, the USCP co-patrols an extended jurisdiction with the Metropolitan

Police Department of the District of Columbia. The LOC Police primarily provides

protection for LOC staff, congressional and public visitors, national treasures, and

guards six buildings, including the Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and James

Madison buildings -- two of which are located within the USCP’s primary jurisdiction.

The GPO Police primarily provides protection for GPO staff and four buildings. The

buildings are located near Union Station within the USCP’s extended jurisdiction (see

map in enclosure II, slide 12, on page 28).

USCP officers may receive retirement benefits comparable to other federal law

enforcement officers, whereas LOC and GPO officers receive standard federal

retirement benefits. USCP officers are subject to a mandatory retirement at 57 years

of age with 20 years of service,5

 which is not the case with the LOC or GPO police

forces. The LOC and the USCP have the same pay scale, whereas the GPO Police has

a lower pay scale. New officers in all three police forces are generally required to

attend basic training at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center; however, the

USCP also requires its officers to complete an additional 18 weeks of USCP-specific

training. In contrast, LOC officers generally receive 8 to 10 weeks of LOC-specific

training and GPO officers generally receive 1 to 2 weeks of GPO-specific training.

 3

Number of officers for the USCP as of April 20, 2002, and for the LOC and GPO police forces as of May 4, 2002. 4

The GPO Physical Security Group’s budget is funded primarily through a revolving fund, which is an account funded by

reimbursements from GPO’s customers for the costs of printing and related services. 5

Under federal statute, USCP members must retire when they reach 57 years of age if they have completed 20 years of eligible

service, or upon the completion of 20 years of service if then over 57 years of age.
Page 4 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

Summary

Merging the LOC Police and/or the GPO Police with the USCP is feasible for several

reasons. First, although each force has unique responsibilities, their overall missions

share enough similarities that a merged force could assume both the unique and

common responsibilities. Second, the three forces are located in the same

geographic area with overlapping jurisdictions, so that most of LOC’s and GPO’s

jurisdictions fall within the USCP’s current jurisdictional boundaries. Third, USCP

officials believe that it is feasible to merge the LOC and/or GPO forces into USCP’s

existing structure. Fourth, as long as members are not adversely affected, the LOC,

GPO, and USCP labor committees of the Fraternal Order of Police told us that they

support a merger, which could increase its feasibility. Moreover, other larger police

forces, such as New York City Police Department, have successfully completed

mergers,6

 so the Capitol Hill merger, which would be on a much smaller scale, should

be feasible.

Nevertheless, if LOC and/or GPO police were to be merged with the USCP, challenges

would need to be addressed prior to merging forces. These include gaining LOC

and/or GPO management support, resolving differences in retirement systems, and

integrating training and security systems. In deciding whether to merge these forces,

Congress should consider these challenges along with the potential benefits resulting

from a merger (see enclosure II, slides 17 through 20, on pages 33 through 36).

Several potential security benefits could result from a merger of the LOC and/or GPO

police forces with the USCP. A merged force governed by a single, unified chain of

command could enhance the overall security of Capitol Hill by

• facilitating better communication and coordination of police activities;

• providing centralized intelligence gathering, dissemination, and threat assessments;

• developing consistent responses to emergency situations or threats;

• allowing for flexibility in staffing officers; and

• providing additional training and new equipment for merged officers.

More specifically, communication and coordination of police activities could be

facilitated through a unified dispatch system and compatible radios. A unified chain

of command could enhance the capability to develop a unified security plan, which

could result in improved coordinated emergency defense strategies. Furthermore, a

single chain of command could reduce response times, reduce the difficulty officers

may face in working across jurisdictional boundaries, and enable resources to be

deployed across police divisions, when needed. Training enhancements and

standardized equipment could contribute to a more professional police force on

Capitol Hill (see enclosure II, slides 21 through 24, on pages 37 through 40).

A merger between the LOC and/or GPO police forces and the USCP would incur

significant costs if the intent of a merger is to provide consistently applied security

 6

In October 1995, the New York City Housing Police (about 3,500 officers) and the New York City Transit Police (about 4,500

officers) merged with the much larger New York City Police Department (about 30,000 officers).
Page 5 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

policies and practices and seamless security on Capitol Hill within the merger

implementation period. We estimated certain costs associated with merging the

current LOC and/or GPO police forces with the USCP with these intentions in mind.

Therefore, we assumed a certain level of comparability and fungibility among the

three police forces if they were to be merged. The increased costs related to a

merger contained in our cost estimate included increasing GPO officers’ salaries in

order to bring them up to the USCP pay scale, providing USCP equipment to all

merged officers, training some or all merged officers, and providing enhanced

retirement benefits to merged officers. The cost of a merger, depending on which

forces are merged and the extent to which officers are provided with training and

enhanced retirement benefits, could range from $13.1 million to $42.4 million.7 All of

our estimates did not include the potentially significant costs to enhance and

coordinate security, communications, or information technology equipment, because

these costs would be contingent on the completion of security needs assessments

that would likely be completed prior to implementing a merger. Additionally, we did

not include the potential expense of hiring consultants to assist with planning and

implementing a merger. In addition to the security benefits described previously,

there are potential efficiencies, such as centralized recruiting and other human

capital functions, and centralized dispatching and command center functions that

could be realized from a merger. However, we were unable to quantify the cost of the

potential efficiencies (see enclosure II slides 25 through 31, on pages 41 through 47

and enclosure III for additional details about estimating costs).

Congress would need to address several issues if the forces are merged, including

how to modify statutory provisions relating to authority of the forces, whether to

alter the composition of the Capitol Police Board, how to apply USCP retirement

provisions to LOC and/or GPO officers, and how best to fund and implement a

merger. In addition, Congress would need to address logistical issues, such as

planning and overseeing a merger and setting a timetable for its completion, while

considering USCP’s existing plans to recruit, hire, and train additional officers (see

enclosure II slides 32 through 37, on pages 48 through 53).

We identified four options that Congress may wish to consider in relation to a

potential merger. Although we make no recommendations on these options, they

should be considered in the context of their related potential security benefits and

costs. The ranges of estimated costs provided below do not include the potentially

significant costs to enhance and coordinate security, communications, or information

technology equipment. The costs estimates for each option vary depending on how

training and retirement issues are addressed. The low cost estimate for each merger

option includes costs to provide USCP-standard equipment to LOC and GPO officers,

partial cross-training of all three police forces, and enhanced retirement benefits for

future years of service for merged officers who have earned 20 years of federal law

enforcement officer service. The high cost estimate for each merger option includes

costs to provide USCP-standard equipment to LOC and GPO officers, complete crosstraining of all three forces, and enhanced retirement benefits for past and future

 7

The present value of the increase in the total cost of providing enhanced retirement benefits to LOC and/or GPO officers ranges

from $6.9 million to $24.5 million under different scenarios. For additional information about retirement costs, see enclosure III,

slides 10 through 12. In addition, these merger costs include the present value of salary increases for GPO officers for the first 5

years of a merger, which we estimated as $3.4 million.
Page 6 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

years of service for all merged officers who have earned 20 years of federal law

enforcement officer service. In options where the GPO Police are merged with the

USCP, cost estimates also include costs to increase GPO officers’ salaries to USCP

levels. The four options we identified are:

Merge both the LOC Police and GPO Police with the USCP. A merged force

governed by a single, unified chain of command could enhance the overall security of

Capitol Hill by facilitating better communication and coordination of police activities;

providing centralized intelligence gathering, dissemination, and threat assessments;

developing consistent responses to emergency situations or threats; allowing for

flexibility in staffing officers; and providing additional training and equipment for

merged officers. However, merging both LOC and GPO police forces with the USCP

would be the most costly option. We estimate that merging all three forces could

cost between $28.4 million to $42.4 million.

Merge only the LOC Police with the USCP. Although not as comprehensive as

merging all three forces, a merger of LOC Police with the USCP would provide similar

types of security benefits. Two of LOC’s main buildings are located within USCP’s

primary jurisdiction, a block from the U.S. Capitol, so a merger of the LOC Police

with the USCP could enhance and facilitate emergency planning, evacuation

procedures, and threat assessments, among other tasks. And, while differences exist,

the LOC and USCP missions both include responsibilities for protecting visitors,

congressional members and staff, and national treasures. Merging the LOC Police

with the USCP would also entail substantial costs. We estimate that merging the LOC

Police with the USCP could cost between $15.2 million and $25.9 million.

Merge only the GPO Police with the USCP. Although also not as comprehensive

as merging all three forces, a merger between the GPO Police and the USCP would

provide security benefits. However, a merger between the GPO Police and the USCP

would not be as close a fit as a merger between the LOC Police and the USCP

because of differences in their primary missions (i.e., guarding GPO employees and

its physical plant versus protecting congressional members and staff and national

treasures) and GPO’s facilities are located farther from the Capitol. Merging the GPO

Police with the USCP would also entail substantial costs. We estimate that merging

the GPO Police with the USCP could cost between $13.1 million and $16.3 million.

Retain current police forces and enhance coordination. Should Congress

determine that the potential benefits of a merger are outweighed by potential costs, it

could decide not to merge the forces. In the absence of a merger, Congress could

potentially enhance security and coordination among the three police forces by

directing that the forces establish memoranda of understanding (MOU). For

example, all three forces could create MOUs that would establish, among other

things, the standardization of equipment8

 and communication systems, as well as the

development of coordinated emergency response procedures. The potential security

benefits and costs of MOUs will depend upon the exact nature of the agreements. It

 8

The LOC, Capitol Police Board, and Architect of the Capitol, entered into an MOU in 1998 that required LOC to coordinate with

USCP to maintain continuity and consistency of security system design, procurement, installation, and operation of security

equipment and systems within the Capitol complex (e.g., exterior perimeter alarms, equipment, magnetometers, and interior

alarms).
Page 7 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

is important to note that the MOU option may present some risk because certain

merger benefits, such as providing for fungibility of officers, creating a unified chain

of command, and gaining efficiencies through centralized recruiting and dispatching

functions, might not be realized through MOUs. In addition, the costs of

implementing MOUs could also be significant. Potential costs associated with

establishing MOUs could include providing cross training to some officers and

purchasing security equipment. However, the costs of providing enhanced retirement

benefits to LOC and GPO officers would not be incurred if MOUs were initiated.

These four options represent a basic range of potential actions that Congress could

consider to effect a merger of these police forces. Within these options lie many

variations that could lower the costs of any merger. For example, we assumed that

all officers would receive equal pay and benefits as USCP officers. Privatizing

selected security functions or classifying certain duties into a different rank and pay

structure might reduce overall merger costs. However, the feasibility of these

variations would be contingent on a needs assessment of security coverage

requirements. As a second example, Congress could consider providing cross

training to fewer officers and/or reducing the scope of the cross training. If LOC and

GPO officers were merged with the USCP and all cross training was eliminated for all

merged officers, the cost of a merger would range from $18.9 million to $28.6 million,

depending on how officers are provided with enhanced retirement benefits.

Similarly, if the LOC Police and USCP were merged without providing officers cross

training, merger costs would range from $8.4 million to $15.3 million. If the GPO

Police were merged with the USCP without providing officers cross training, merger

costs would range from $10.5 million to $13.3 million. While this variation would

retain some security benefits such as instituting a unified chain of command, applying

consistent security policies, and enhancing communication and coordination of

police activities, the lower costs would need to be weighed against the reduced

fungibility, training levels, and seamless security practices—which are all important

reasons for considering a merger.

Agency Comments

We requested and received official comments on our draft report from the Chief of

the USCP, the Librarian of Congress; the Public Printer; the Chairmen of the

Fraternal Order of Police Labor Committees for LOC, GPO, and USCP; and the

Capitol Police Board. The agencies’ comments, which are included as enclosures IV

through VIII, are summarized and evaluated below. We also received technical

comments and clarifications, which we incorporated into the final report as

appropriate.

The Chief of the USCP noted that incorporating the security operations of LOC, GPO,

and the USCP into a single police force would promote good security, improve

flexibility, and establish a unity of purpose. The Chief indicated that while a merger

would involve resolving a considerable number of administrative issues, given time

and resources, these issues could be overcome. Our analysis recognized the need for

a transition period in order to, among other things, allow time to address both

administrative and security issues (see enclosure II slides 32 through 37, on pages 48
Page 8 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

through 53). Our analysis also recognized a need for a pre-implementation planning

period to address these issues.

The Librarian of Congress commented that our report did not adequately address his

statutory responsibility for collections security, explain the scope of collections

security, or address the potential impact of a merger on the Library’s ability to

maintain an effective program. We realize that securing the Library’s collections and

maintaining order in the Library’s reading areas require the LOC Police to have

certain training and responsibilities that the other police forces do not. However, we

believe that officers under the direction of a unified Capitol Hill police force could

receive appropriate training and perform these responsibilities in a manner so that

the security of the Library and its collections is in no way diminished. We also

acknowledge that if a merger occurs, Congress may need to redefine the Librarian’s

role and statutory responsibility for facility and collections security.

The Librarian of Congress also emphasized the importance of treating affected

Library employees fairly. As discussed in our report, the language in the Senate

committee report directing this review suggests that legislators are sensitive to

protecting the rights of affected employees. Further, in analyzing merger options and

their related costs we made several assumptions relating to pay, benefits, equipment,

training, and transition periods that address this issue. Should Congress decide to

merge the police forces, the merger-related employee issues could be addressed

during a pre-implementation period, in which all affected parties could be consulted

and their concerns considered.

The Public Printer wrote that GPO had no objection to the concept of a merger of the

GPO Police with USCP, as long as there would be effective consultation between

GPO and USCP regarding security coverage of GPO’s facilities and operations. We

agree that as part of a merger implementation plan, a needs assessment to determine

the appropriate level of security coordination and enhancement would need to be

conducted. In addition, if a merger occurs Congress may need to redefine the Public

Printer’s role and statutory responsibility for facility and operational security.

The Public Printer also commented that GPO does not now receive an appropriation

to cover the costs of its police force. These costs are currently paid out of the

revenues GPO receives from its sales and services. Thus, should Congress decide to

merge the GPO police into the USCP, he noted that the cost of securing GPO’s

facilities and operations might be borne by USCP rather than be covered by GPO’s

receipts. We agree that if GPO Police were to be merged with the USCP, Congress

would have to decide how best to fund the annual operating expenses of the newly

merged force. Possible scenarios include the use of appropriated funds and

incorporating the GPO Physical Security Group’s budget into USCP’s budget.

Finally, the Public Printer expressed concern that current GPO officers be treated

fairly regarding merger issues, such as determining USCP qualification requirements.

As discussed in our report, and in accordance with directions in the fiscal year 2002

legislative branch appropriations report, our analysis included assumptions relating

to pay, benefits, equipment, training, and transition periods that address this issue.
Page 9 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

In a joint response, the three chairmen of the Fraternal Order of Police Labor

Committees endorsed the concept of consolidating the LOC and GPO police forces

into the USCP. The chairmen commented that an integration of the three forces

would serve to strengthen the security of the Capitol, its campus, and its related

facilities. The chairmen also commented on (1) references made in the report

regarding privatization of some positions, (2) concerns about provisions for

transferring leave from officers’ current organizations to the USCP, and (3) the

potentially high costs of training merged officers. Specifically, the chairmen

commented that they understood that there may be a need for privatization but the

lack of specificity prevented them from reaching an informed opinion. Concerns

about leave centered on a desire to ensure that union members’ leave balances

earned in their current organizations be preserved and transferred to USCP.

Regarding training, the chairmen commented that the issue of training could be

addressed at a significantly lower cost by leaving the members of the LOC and GPO

police forces at their current posts; thereby, minimizing training costs for the current

force and training new hires as older officers retire.

We presented the potential privatization of some security functions as one of several

options and variations, which could be considered in order to potentially reduce

merger costs. All merger options and variations would need to be considered in the

context of a needs assessment, and costs would need to be weighed against potential

benefits and feasibility. If Congress were to consider using extensive privatization of

security functions, further consultation with the unions may be necessary to assess

the impact on affected staff. The chairmen’s points about transferring of leave

balances are issues that Congress would need to address and clarify in legislation

prior to the implementation of a merger. Regarding training costs associated with

merging the police forces, we incorporated additional information on merger cost

estimates that eliminated all cross training for merged officers. Eliminating the cross

training lowers the estimated total costs of the merger options, but this would need to

be weighed against reduced fungibility, training levels, and uniformity of security

practices—which are all important reasons for considering a merger. Nevertheless,

recognizing that the union proposal is a possibility, we calculated these cost

estimates because it provides congressional decision makers another alternative to

consider in weighing the benefits against the costs.

The Capitol Police Board commented that they strongly agree with the conclusion

that many challenges would need to be addressed and examined. Specifically, the

Board noted that several issues would require additional study, including the

significant costs of a merger, statutory provisions relating to authority, retirement

plans, logistical issues, recruitment, and training. Our report noted that there are

several outstanding issues that would need to be addressed in connection with any

merger. Should Congress decide to merge one or more of the police forces, these

issues and challenges could be addressed during a pre-implementation period. The

Board’s comments included an attachment that contained the Architect of the

Capitol’s (AOC) observations and commentary. The AOC stated that the option of
Page 10 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

merging USCP with the LOC police seems to be the most practical course of action,

citing similar missions, contiguous jurisdictions, administrative similarities, and

costs.

__ __ ___

We are providing copies of this report to the Chief of the USCP, Librarian of

Congress, Public Printer, and the Chairmen of the Fraternal Order of Police Labor

Committees for USCP, LOC, and GPO. Copies of this report will be made available to

other interested parties upon request. This report will also be available on GAO’s

home page at http://www.gao.gov. If you have any questions, please contact me at

(202) 512-8777 or by e-mail at stanar@gao.gov or Linda Watson, Assistant Director, at

(202) 512-8685 or by e-mail at watsonl@gao.gov. Key contributors to this report were

Geoffrey R. Hamilton, Mary Catherine Hult, Anne Laffoon, Lisa Shibata, Brian Sklar,

and Mark Tremba.

Richard M. Stana

Director, Justice Issues

Enclosures
Enclosure I

Page 11 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

Objectives, Scope, and Methodology

The Senate Committee on Appropriations’ July 2001 report accompanying the legislative

branch appropriations bill for fiscal year 2002 directed that we conduct an evaluation of

the feasibility of consolidating the Library of Congress (LOC) Police and/or Government

Printing Office (GPO) Police with the U.S. Capitol Police (USCP). As stated in the

committee report, an updated evaluation on the feasibility of consolidating these police

forces was deemed important to address the perceived need for consistently applied

security policies and practices, efficient management of resources, and fair and equitable

treatment of law enforcement personnel. The committee report also directed us to

address issues related to ensuring an orderly transition, including the protection of the

rights of affected staff.

After discussion with Senate Appropriations Committee staff, we agreed to (1) determine

whether it is feasible for the LOC and/or GPO police forces to merge with the USCP; (2)

determine how, if at all, a merger might affect overall security on Capitol Hill; (3) identify

the costs and potential efficiencies associated with merging the LOC and/or GPO police

forces with the USCP; and (4) identify issues that would need to be addressed prior to a

merger, should a merger be deemed desirable.

To complete our analysis of all four objectives, we made some general assumptions

based on discussions with agency officials and experts. Taking into consideration the

intent of a merger to provide consistently applied security policies and practices and

seamless security on Capitol Hill, we assumed that the LOC and/or GPO police forces, if

merged, would become separate divisions of the existing USCP organizational

structure—similar to the USCP’s current Capitol, House, and Senate Divisions. We also

assumed that all officers and security-related personnel1

 currently employed by the LOC

and/or GPO police forces would become USCP employees and that a merged force

would be governed by a single unified chain of command. Therefore, we assumed a

certain level of comparability and fungibility among the three forces if they were to be

merged. To achieve comparability and fungibility, we assumed that all merged LOC

and/or GPO officers would be compensated at the same level of pay, receive similar

retirement benefits as current USCP officers, and be given USCP basic training and

equipment.

Because a merger of the LOC and/or GPO police forces with the USCP would require

considerable planning, for purposes of estimating costs, we assumed that a merger of the

forces would not occur sooner than October 1, 2003 (the start of fiscal year 2004). We

also assumed that merger issues would be addressed during a pre-implementation period

(fiscal year 2003). However, implementation planning for a merger could be more than a

year if deemed necessary. Additionally, for purposes of calculating increased salary and

enhanced retirement costs, we assumed that there would be a 5-year transition period

 1

The LOC Police is part of LOC’s Office of Security. The GPO Uniformed Police Branch is part of GPO’s Office of Administrative

Support, Physical Security Group.
Enclosure I

Page 12 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

after the implementation of a merger. A 5-year transition period would (1) mitigate the

potential adverse effects of a merger, such as the possible application of the USCP

mandatory retirement age to merged officers and (2) ensure that all officers would be

able to meet the minimum requirement to maintain enrollment in federal health

insurance programs, if they were required to retire in 5 years.

To address our objectives, we obtained and reviewed prior merger studies involving the

USCP and other Capitol Hill police forces. We obtained and reviewed policies and

procedures and general orders from the LOC Police, GPO Police, and USCP. We

analyzed available personnel, budget, and cost data from the three forces. We

interviewed officials from the Capitol Police Board, LOC, GPO, and USCP, along with

officials from the Fraternal Order of Police’s Labor Committees for LOC, GPO, and

USCP. In addition, we interviewed officials from the following agencies and

organizations: the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia, the New

York City Police Department (NYPD), U.S. Supreme Court Police, the Office of

Personnel Management (OPM), the Legislative Branch Emergency Preparedness Task

Force, a private security consulting firm, and the International Association of Chiefs of

Police.

To determine the feasibility of merging police forces and how, if at all, a merger might

affect overall security, we primarily relied on testimonial information provided by law

enforcement officials and experts, as well as a comparison of documentation on USCP,

LOC Police, and GPO Police missions, responsibilities, and enforcement jurisdictions.

As a case example, we also interviewed officials involved in a merger where the New

York City Transit Police and the New York City Housing Police forces were merged with

NYPD.

To identify the costs and potential efficiencies associated with a merger, we used past

GAO, Congressional Research Service, and USCP reviews on mergers and queried

agency officials to identify cost items. To calculate the salary, training, and equipment

costs potentially associated with a merger we obtained personnel information from the

LOC and GPO police forces, and obtained cost data, as appropriate, from the USCP. For

retirement costs, we provided OPM relevant personnel data on LOC and GPO officers

(e.g., work history and demographic information). OPM calculated the cost of providing

enhanced retirement benefits to merged LOC and/or GPO officers using these data and

four options, which we provided to them. Although merger costs would be incurred over

several years, for purposes of our analysis we estimated the costs as though they were

being incurred in the first year. Specifically, in these cost estimates we included the total

present value of increasing GPO officers’ salaries for the first 5 years of the merger, and

did not calculate these costs beyond that point because after 5 years the composition of

the workforce could change significantly, in part due to mandatory retirement of certain

merged officers. We also included the present value of the increase in the total cost of

providing enhanced retirement benefits to LOC and/or GPO officers. Additionally, we

present the total cost to train some or all merged officers, although these costs might be

spread over several years.
Enclosure I

Page 13 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

To calculate the change in salaries that would result from merging the LOC and/or GPO

police forces with the USCP, we assumed that all current LOC and/or GPO securityrelated employees would be merged into the USCP. In order to create a fungible force,

we assumed that these officers would be merged into the USCP at their existing or

comparable rank and compensated according to USCP’s pay scale. Because LOC

officers are on the same rank and pay structure as USCP officers, a merger of the LOC

Police with the USCP would not increase LOC officers’ salaries. However, we assumed

that if the GPO Police merged with the USCP its officers would receive a raise of

approximately one-third of their current GPO salaries—which is the current difference in

pay between GPO and USCP officers of the same or comparable rank. We calculated the

increase in GPO salaries by using the differences in the midpoints of salary tables at

comparable ranks between the GPO and USCP. In doing this, we assumed that officers

of the same rank with similar responsibilities in a merged force would likely receive

comparable pay. We performed this calculation for the first 5 years of a merger by

calculating the present value of the increased salaries for all GPO officers. We assumed

that the composition of the GPO merged officers would not change during these 5 years

and that there would be an annual cost of living increase of 3.5 percent. Additionally, for

the GPO Police, whose payroll is not currently processed by the National Finance

Center, we included the annual fee that is charged to process an employee’s payroll.

To calculate the initial equipment costs resulting from a merger, we assumed that if

either or both the LOC and GPO police forces were merged with the USCP, officers

would be provided new USCP-issued equipment. We calculated the costs of equipping

each LOC and/or GPO officer with the equipment USCP issues to its incoming officers.

Among other things, standard USCP equipment includes a handgun, ammunition, baton,

riot gear, and a radio. USCP provided us with a list of equipment and estimated fiscal

year 2003 costs for each item. We assumed that, in accordance with current USCP

policy, officers of the rank sergeant and above would receive additional communications

equipment such as pagers, and officers of the rank captain and above would receive

pagers and telephone/radios.

We assumed that should a merger occur, officers would be cross-trained in some

manner, which would provide some fungibility among the forces and potentially improve

security on Capitol Hill. To calculate basic training costs resulting from a merger, we

assumed that if the LOC and/or GPO police forces merged with the USCP, all merged

officers would receive the same training that all incoming USCP officers receive. The

USCP basic training includes orientation, Federal Law Enforcement Training Center

(FLETC) basic police training, a 10-week session at the USCP training academy, 8 weeks

of field training—structured on-the-job training, and initial weapons qualification

training. While we assumed all GPO and/or LOC officers would receive the entire USCP

basic training, it is conceivable that an alternative shorter, less costly training regimen

could be developed for these merged officers. Since most LOC and GPO officers have

already attended FLETC, we assumed that only officers that have not previously

completed FLETC training would attend FLETC. The USCP provided us with estimated

fiscal year 2002 costs to provide training to each officer. In addition, we assumed that

based on current USCP practice, when officers attended any type of training, their
Enclosure I

Page 14 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

positions would be backfilled by officers who would receive overtime pay at the current

(March 2002) overtime hourly rate.

We assumed that in addition to providing USCP basic training to LOC and/or GPO

officers, there would be at least some cross training of officers if the LOC and/or GPO

police forces merged with the USCP. We calculated three different cross-training

options, all of which included providing USCP basic training to LOC and/or GPO officers.

For the first cross-training option, we assumed that all 1,208 USCP officers would receive

training on LOC and/or GPO policies, and if all forces merged, all LOC and GPO officers

would receive training on each others’ policies. For the second cross-training option, we

assumed that 175 USCP officers (enough to replace the combined current police forces

at LOC and GPO) would receive training on LOC and/or GPO policies to allow flexibility

in staffing, and if all forces merged, all LOC and GPO officers would receive training on

each others’ policies. For the third cross-training option, we assumed that 88 USCP

officers (half of the current number of LOC and GPO officers) would receive training on

LOC and/or GPO policies, and half of LOC (61) and GPO (27) officers would receive

training on each others’ policies. This option would provide some measure of flexibility

in staffing at a reduced cost.

To estimate the costs of providing enhanced retirement benefits to LOC and/or GPO

officers, we assumed the following: all LOC and/or GPO officers would receive similar

retirement benefits as USCP officers; all LOC and/or GPO officers would be provided

with enhanced benefits as of October 1, 2003, the assumed effective date of the merger;

and LOC and GPO officers would not be required to serve a minimum number of years as

a USCP officer before being eligible to receive enhanced retirement benefits. We

assumed that USCP mandatory retirement provisions (e.g., age 57 with 20 years of

eligible service) would eventually be applied to all merged LOC and GPO officers.

However, in the context of ensuring an orderly transition and protecting the rights of

affected staff, we assumed these provisions would not be applied until 5 years after the

merger was effected (i.e., October 1, 2008) in order to allow LOC and/or GPO officers

time to transition to USCP to mitigate the potential adverse effects of a merger, such as

the possible application of the USCP mandatory retirement age to merged officers. We

provided these assumptions to OPM, who calculated the total present value of the

increase in cost to provide enhanced retirement benefits. In calculating the estimates,

OPM assumed that LOC and GPO officers have the same pattern of expected retirements;

based on officers’ demographics, work histories, and retirement systems.

We provided OPM with two considerations for estimating the costs of providing

enhanced retirement benefits to LOC and/or GPO officers. The first consideration

focused on whether enhanced benefits would be applied for past service as a police

officer, and the second consideration focused on how years of service are treated in the

application of mandatory retirement after October 1, 2008. Under the first consideration,

LOC and/or GPO officers would be entitled to law enforcement retirement benefits (1)

for past service as a LOC or GPO police officer as well as for future service as a USCP

officer, or (2) only for future service as a USCP officer. Retirement annuity earned from

past service would be added to that earned as a USCP officer. Under the second

consideration, LOC and/or GPO officers would be required to retire at the USCP
Enclosure I

Page 15 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

mandatory retirement age of 57 (only after October 1, 2008) based on either 20 years of

(1) federal service, or (2) federal law enforcement officer service. How these

considerations are decided creates four options for providing enhanced retirement

benefits to LOC and/or GPO officers. The four retirement options are:

Retirement option 1

• Officers would receive past and future enhanced retirement benefits

• Mandatory retirement based on 20 years of federal service

Retirement option 2

• Officers would receive past and future enhanced retirement benefits

• Mandatory retirement based on 20 years of federal law enforcement officer service

Retirement option 3

• Officers would receive only future enhanced retirement benefits

• Mandatory retirement based on 20 years of federal service

Retirement option 4

• Officers would receive only future enhanced retirement benefits

• Mandatory retirement based on 20 years of federal law enforcement officer service

We identified several cost categories that would result from merging the LOC and/or

GPO police forces with the USCP, that we were not able to estimate because these costs

would be contingent on needs assessments and security reviews. We did not estimate

the costs of security enhancements to LOC and/or GPO that may be needed if a merger

occurred. For example, if replacement X-ray machines were needed at GPO, the cost

would be approximately $75,000 per machine. We did not include the potential costs of

information technology and communication enhancements and coordination and/or

vehicle replacement that might be necessitated by a merger. We also did not estimate

merger planning and implementation costs, which could include the hiring of consultants

or contractors. Additionally, we did not estimate the increase in cost associated with

providing congressional retirement benefits to LOC and/or GPO civilian employees.

After 5 years as a USCP employee, civilians contribute an additional 0.5 percent toward

their annuities than do LOC and/or GPO civilian employees. Because of the relatively

small number of civilians and because our analysis was focused on officers, we did not

estimate this cost. In addition, since data on GPO’s current use of overtime and premium

pay was unavailable, we were unable to estimate the increased overtime and premium

pay for GPO officers, if the GPO Police merged with the USCP.2

Although we identified potential efficiencies such as centralized dispatch and recruiting

functions that may be gained from implementing a merger of the LOC and/or GPO police

forces with the USCP, we were unable to quantify these benefits.

 2

The LOC Police and the USCP use the same rank and pay structure, which generally includes the same

rates of overtime and premium pay categories, such as Sunday pay.
Enclosure I

Page 16 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

To identify issues that would need to be addressed prior to a merger, we reviewed past

GAO, Congressional Research Service, and USCP studies on mergers, interviewed

officials with past merger implementation experience, and interviewed LOC Police, GPO

Police, USCP, and union officials. We evaluated these issues, confirmed with LOC, GPO,

and USCP officials that they were still applicable, and identified those most relevant to

implementing a potential merger.

We conducted our work in Washington, D.C. and New York City from January through

May 2002, in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards.
Page 17 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

Enclosure II

Review of Potential Merger of the Library of

Congress Police and/or the Government Printing

Office Police with the U.S. Capitol Police

Results of Work Completed for

Senate Committee on Appropriations,

Legislative Branch Subcommittee Staff
Enclosure II

Page 18 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

2

Issues to Address 32

Security Benefits 21

Estimating Costs 25

Background 11

Merger Feasibility 17

Merger Options 38

Introduction 3

Contents
Enclosure II

Page 19 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

3

Introduction

Legislative Directive

• As stated in the Senate Committee on Appropriations’ July 2001 report,

accompanying the legislative branch appropriations bill for fiscal year

2002, GAO was to complete an updated evaluation on the feasibility of

consolidating the Library of Congress (LOC) and/or the Government

Printing Office (GPO) police forces with the U.S. Capitol Police (USCP).

• Among other things, an updated evaluation was deemed important to

• Address the perceived need for consistently applied security policies

and procedures and efficient management of resources, and

• Provide fair and equitable treatment of law enforcement personnel,

including protecting the rights of affected staff.
Enclosure II

Page 20 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

4

Introduction

Objectives

Based on discussion with Senate Appropriations Committee staff, we

agreed to:

• Determine whether it is feasible for the LOC and/or GPO police forces to

merge with the USCP.

• Determine how, if at all, a merger might affect overall security on Capitol

Hill.

• Identify the costs and potential efficiencies associated with merging the

LOC and/or GPO police forces with the USCP.

• Identify the issues that would need to be addressed prior to a merger,

should a merger be deemed desirable.
Enclosure II

Page 21 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

5

Introduction

Scope and Methodology

• Reviewed policies, procedures, and general orders.

• Reviewed prior GAO and Congressional Research Service reports on

potential mergers involving the USCP and other Capitol Hill police

forces.

• Analyzed available personnel, budget, and cost data.

• Interviewed officials from

• LOC, GPO, and USCP,

• Capitol Police Board,

• Fraternal Order of Police LOC, GPO, and USCP Labor Committees,

• Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia,

• U.S. Supreme Court Police,

• Legislative Branch Emergency Preparedness Task Force,

• International Association of Chiefs of Police,

• New York City Police Department (NYPD) and a private security consulting firm consisting of former NYPD officials, and

• Office of Personnel Management (OPM).

Note: See enclosure I for additional information on our objectives, scope, and methodology.
Enclosure II

Page 22 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

6

Introduction

General Assumptions About a Merger

For purposes of determining the feasibility, effect on security, and cost

of a merger, we made some general assumptions.

• LOC and/or GPO police forces would, if merged, become separate

divisions of the existing USCP organizational structure, similar to the

current Capitol, House, and Senate divisions.

• All officers and security-related personnel1 currently employed by LOC

and/or GPO would become USCP employees.

• A merged force would be governed by a single unified chain of

command.

• Some or all merged officers would be fungible with the USCP officers.

1The LOC Police Force is part of LOC’s Office of Security. The GPO Uniformed Police Branch is part of

GPO’s Office of Administrative Support, Physical Security Group.
Enclosure II

Page 23 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

7

Introduction

General Assumptions About a Merger (cont’d)

• All officers in a merged force would receive USCP basic training.

• All LOC and/or GPO officers who merged would receive new USCP-standard

officer equipment, such as weapons and uniforms.

• A merger would not occur any sooner than October 1, 2003, (fiscal year 2004).

• Merger issues would be addressed during a pre-implementation period (fiscal

year 2003).

• There would be a 5-year transition period after the implementation of a merger

to allow merged officers time to

• transition to the USCP while mitigating the potential adverse effects of a

merger, such as USCP’s mandatory retirement age provision, and

• acquire 5 years of service to allow certain officers to continue to be eligible

for federal health benefits.
Enclosure II

Page 24 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

8

Introduction

Cost Assumptions

For purposes of estimating the costs associated with a merger, we made

the following assumptions:

• To ensure comparability in a fungible force, all current LOC and/or GPO

security-related employees will be merged into USCP force and

compensated according to USCP’s pay and rank structure at their

existing or comparable rank.

• To estimate the increased GPO officers’ salaries, we assumed that the

composition of merged GPO officers would not change.
Enclosure II

Page 25 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

9

Introduction

Cost Assumptions (cont’d)

• For purposes of estimating the cost to provide cross-training to officers,

we made the following assumptions:

• If all forces merge, some, or all, LOC and GPO officers would be crosstrained on each other’s procedures.

• Some, or all, USCP officers would be cross-trained on LOC and/or GPO

procedures.

• Based on current USCP practice, when officers attend training, they are

replaced by other officers, who would earn overtime.

• Costs associated with enhancing the level of security, communication,

and information technology (IT) infrastructure are contingent on the

completion of needs assessments and, therefore, have not been

estimated.
Enclosure II

Page 26 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

10

Introduction

Cost Assumptions (cont’d)

• For purposes of estimating the cost to provide enhanced retirement benefits to

LOC and/or GPO officers, we made the following assumptions:

• All LOC and/or GPO officers would receive the same retirement benefits as

USCP do.

• LOC and/or GPO officers would be provided with enhanced retirement

benefits as of October 1, 2003, the assumed effective date of potential

merger.

• LOC and/or GPO officers would not be required to serve a minimum

number of years as a USCP officer before being eligible to receive

enhanced retirement benefits.

• USCP mandatory retirement age provisions (e.g., age 57 with 20 years of

eligible service) would eventually be applied to all merged LOC and/or GPO

officers; however, these provisions would not be applied until 5 years after

the merger was effected (i.e., Oct. 1, 2008).

• LOC and/or GPO officers would have the same pattern of expected

retirements, based on officers’ demographics, work histories, and

retirement systems.
Enclosure II

Page 27 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

11

USCP

• Protects Members of Congress and their staff, buildings, national

treasures, and visitors.

• Regulates traffic within the Capitol grounds.

• Has specialized units (e.g., Dignitary Protection Division).

LOC Office of Security

• Provides protection for LOC staff, buildings, Members of Congress

and their staff, national treasures, and visitors.

• Has primary responsibility for collections security.

• Police force does not have specialized units.

GPO Physical Security Group

• Provides protection for GPO staff and buildings (few visitors).

• Provides security for classified information.

• Police force does not have specialized units.

Source: USCP, LOC Office of Security, and GPO Office of Administrative Support.

USCP, LOC, and GPO Missions

Background
Enclosure II

Page 28 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

12

MARYLAND AVENUE

NORTH CAROLINA AVENUE

SOUTH CAROLINA AVENUE

1ST STREET

2ND STREET

3RD STREET

3RD STREET

4TH STREET

1ST STREET

2ND STREET 2ND STREET

5TH STREET

6TH STREET

7TH STREET

SOUTH CAPITOL STREET

CANAL STREET

NORTH CAPITOL STREET

MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE

PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE

NEW JERSEY AVENUE NEW JERSEY AVENUE

SOUTH CAPITOL STREET

NEW JERSEY AVENUE

DELAWARE AVENUE

LOUISIANA AVENUE

DELAWARE

M

AVENUE

ASSACHUSETTS AVENUE

Legend

Primary

Jurisdiction

Extended

Jurisdiction

USCP Primary and Extended Jurisdictions

Background
Enclosure II

Page 29 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

13

GPO - Office

of Physical

Security

GPO - Office

of Physical

Security

• Guards four

buildings

• Patrols property

and parking lots

• Monitors off-site

facility in Laurel,

MD, with closed

circuit television

cameras

LOC - Office

of Security

LOC - Office

of Security

• Guards six

buildings,

including the

Thomas

Jefferson, John

Adams, and

James

Madison; and

Library Child

Care Center,

Taylor Street

annex, and

Landover, MD

annex (not

shown on

map).

• Patrols property

and parking lots

NORTH CAROLINA AVENUE

1ST STREET

2ND STREET

3RD STREET

1ST STREET

2ND STREET 2ND STREET

SOUTH CAPITOL STREET

CANAL STREET

NORTH CAPITOL STREET

MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE

NEW JERSEY AVENUE NEW JERSEY AVENUE

DELAWARE AVENUE

LOUISIANA AVENUE

MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE

MARYLAND AVENUE

USCP USCP • Secures 276-acre Capitol complex

• Guards 19 buildings

• Patrols parks and thoroughfares

• Protects Members of Congress in any area of the United States

Legend

Primary

USCP

Extended

USCP (partial)

LOC

GPO

USCP Primary, LOC, and GPO Jurisdictions

Background
Enclosure II

Page 30 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

14

1,208

122 53 officers

26 civiliansa

163

4 civilians

0

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

1,400

USCP LOC Office of

Security

GPO Physical

Security Group

Civilians

Sworn

Officers

aIncludes 21 civilians in the Office of Security and 5 civilians in the police force. Does not include contract guards.

Source: USCP (as of 4/20/02), LOC Office of Security (as of 5/4/02), and GPO Office of Administrative Support (as of 5/4/02).

Actual Number

Background

USCP, LOC, and GPO Fiscal Year 2002 Personnel
Enclosure II

Page 31 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

15

16%

(195)

1%

(16)

39

21%

79%

1,208

USCP

Percent of officers in 42% 30%

CSRS

Percent of officers in FERS 58% 70%

47%

(25)

47%

(57)

Percent (and number) of

officers age 50 and older

Total number of officers 122 53

15%

(8)

20%

(25)

Percent (and number) of

officers age 57 and older

Average age 47 47

LOC GPO

Note: All demographic information is based on the current workforce, projected as of October 1, 2003.

Source: GAO analysis of USCP, LOC Office of Security, and GPO Office of Administrative Support data.

Background

USCP, LOC, and GPO Police Officer Demographics
Enclosure II

Page 32 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

16

FY 2003 $220,300,000 $14,200,000 $3,900,000

Budget

Submission

FY 2002 $126,200,000 $12,400,000 $3,900,000

FY 2001 $103,800,000 $11,300,000 $3,600,000

GPO Physical

Security

Groupc

LOC Office of

Securitya

USCPa

aAnnual operating budget does not include supplemental appropriations.

bGPO Physical Security Group budget is funded primarily through GPO’s revolving fund.

Background

USCP, LOC, and GPO Budgets

Source: USCP, LOC Office of Security, and GPO Office of Administrative Support.
Enclosure II

Page 33 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

17

Summary

Merger is Feasible, but Challenges Need to be Addressed

Merging the LOC Police and/or the GPO Police with the USCP is

feasible. Although each force carries out some unique responsibilities,

their overall missions share enough similarities that a merged force

could assume both the unique and common responsibilities.

Challenges would need to be addressed, including gaining LOC and/or

GPO management support, addressing differences in retirement

systems, and integrating training and security systems.

In deciding whether to merge, Congress would need to consider these

challenges along with potential benefits.
Enclosure II

Page 34 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

18

Merger Feasibility

Factors Supporting the Feasibility of a Merger

Merger of the LOC Police and/or GPO Police with the USCP is feasible.

• Missions are similar

• LOC Police more similar to USCP than GPO Police is to USCP.

• Geographic proximity overlap

• All three forces operate within USCP’s extended jurisdiction.

• Area of jurisdiction that current forces patrol would not necessarily

increase.

• USCP supports a merger

• USCP officials indicated they have the ability to absorb the two

smaller forces.
Enclosure II

Page 35 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

19

Merger Feasibility

Factors Supporting the Feasibility of a Merger (cont’d)

• Union representatives told us they support a merger

• Officers in all three forces represented by Fraternal Order of Police.

• Union officials for all three forces generally favor the merger as long

as members are not adversely affected.

• Other much larger forces, such as in New York City, successfully

merged with smaller forces to achieve benefits

• NYPD, the New York City Transit Police, and the New York City

Housing Police merged in 1995.

• Officials said they overcame obstacles they faced.
Enclosure II

Page 36 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

20

Merger Feasibility

Potential Challenges to a Merger

• LOC and GPO management have concerns about level and loss of

direct control over security at their facilities

• Other potential challenges to a merger include:

• Differences in retirement systems (e.g., USCP officers receive enhanced

retirement benefits and LOC and GPO officers do not).

• As of October 1, 2003, the LOC Police would have 25 and the GPO Police

would have 8 officers older than the USCP mandatory retirement age (57).1

• Integrating communication, IT networks, and security systems.

• Providing cross-training to police forces.

• Some mission differences.

• Demographic differences among the forces (e.g., USCP force is generally

younger).

1USCP members must retire when they reach 57 years of age if they have completed 20 years of eligible

service, or upon the completion of 20 years of service following if then over the age of 57.
Enclosure II

Page 37 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

21

Summary

Potential Security Benefits May Result from a Merger

Law enforcement experts and agency officials identified several potential

security benefits that could result from a merger of the LOC and/or GPO

police forces with the USCP. A merged force governed by a single,

unified chain of command could enhance the overall security of Capitol

Hill by (1) facilitating better communication and coordination of police

activities; (2) providing centralized intelligence gathering, dissemination,

and threat assessment; (3) developing consistent responses to

emergency situations or threats; (4) allowing for flexibility in staffing

officers; and (5) providing additional training and new equipment for

merged officers. We also identified other benefits, such as potentially

improving LOC and/or GPO officers’ morale.

These potential benefits would need to be weighed against costs and

other issues.
Enclosure II

Page 38 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

22

Security Effects

Potential Security Benefits from a Merger

A merged force could provide several potential benefits to Capitol Hill

security, including:

• A single unified chain of command, which offers greater opportunity for

• consistent and integrated response to emergency situations or

threats;

• consistent policies and procedures to govern the merged forces; and

• improved access for LOC and/or GPO police forces to specialized

units, such as the Dignitary Protection Division or the K-9 Section,

currently under USCP command.

• Capability to deploy resources where they are most needed

• Cross-training would allow flexibility of deploying staffing across

divisions when needed.
Enclosure II

Page 39 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

23

Security Effects

Potential Security Benefits from a Merger (cont’d)

• Better positioning of the three forces to communicate and coordinate activities:

• Unified dispatch system and compatible radios.

• Reduced response times.

• Potential for improved intelligence gathering and dissemination, unified

threat assessment, and risk identification.

• Providing additional training to officers on Capitol Hill

• 175 LOC and GPO officers would receive more extensive USCP training.

• Reducing the difficulty officers may face in working across jurisdictional

boundaries.

• Enhancing capability to develop a unified security plan, which could result in

improved coordinated emergency defense strategies.
Enclosure II

Page 40 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

24

Security Effects

Other Nonsecurity Benefits from a Merger

• Potentially improving LOC and/or GPO officers’ morale.

• LOC and GPO officers currently limited in law enforcement authority

and responsibilities.

• Potential for increased pay for GPO officers.

• Potential for enhanced retirement benefits for LOC and/or GPO

officers.

• Providing expanded career opportunities.

• LOC and/or GPO officers could apply for positions in various

capacities, such as the Dignitary Protection Division.

• Wider zones for promotion consideration may expand the number of

people who could be considered for leadership roles.
Enclosure II

Page 41 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

25

Summary

Merger Would Incur Significant Costs

We estimated certain costs of the merger, including increasing salaries

for GPO officers, providing new USCP-standard equipment to all LOC

and/or GPO officers, providing training (including overtime expenses) to

officers from all three forces, and providing enhanced retirement benefits

to LOC and/or GPO officers.

• If both the LOC and GPO police forces merged with the USCP,

estimated costs, excluding significant security enhancement costs,

among others, could range from $28.4 million to $42.4 million.1

• If the LOC Police merged with the USCP, estimated costs, excluding

significant security enhancement costs, among others, could range

from $15.2 million to $25.9 million.

• If the GPO Police merged with the USCP, estimated costs,

excluding significant security enhancement costs, among others,

could range from $13.1 million to $16.3 million.

1Totals do not sum due to inclusion of cross-training costs applicable only if both forces merged with the USCP.
Enclosure II

Page 42 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

26

Summary

Merger Would Incur Significant Costs (cont’d)

We were unable to estimate what could be the significant costs of

enhancing and coordinating LOC and/or GPO Police security,

communications, or IT equipment. Other costs not estimated include

hiring consultants to help implement the merger, costs related to

providing congressional retirement benefits to LOC and/or GPO civilian

employees, and costs related to increased overtime and premium hours

for GPO officers.

Some potential efficiencies could be realized as a result of a merger, but

these could not be quantified.

Although merger costs would be incurred over several years, for

purposes of our analysis we estimated the costs as though they were

being incurred in the first year.
Enclosure II

Page 43 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

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Estimating Costs

Summary of Cost Estimates

• Costs we estimated associated with a merger include:

• Salary increase for GPO officers to bring them up to USCP pay scale.

• Standardization of equipment – providing LOC and/or GPO officers with

new USCP-standard officer equipment, such as weapons and uniforms.

• Training some or all officers on USCP, LOC, and GPO procedures.

• Providing enhanced retirement benefits to LOC and/or GPO officers.

• Present value of salary increases for 53 GPO officers for the first 5 years

after a merger is implemented are estimated to be $3,373,120.

• Equipment costs are estimated to be

• $761,500 for 175 LOC and GPO officers,

• $529,060 for 122 LOC officers, and

• $232,440 for 53 GPO officers.
Enclosure II

Page 44 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

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Estimating Costs

Summary of Cost Estimates (cont’d)

• Training costs estimates range from1

• $9.5 million to $13.8 million for both LOC and GPO officers,

• $6.7 million to $10.5 million for LOC officers, and

• $2.6 million to $3.0 million for GPO officers.

• Present value of the increase in total costs to provide enhanced

retirement benefits to LOC and/or GPO officers range from

• $14.8 million to $24.5 million for both LOC and GPO officers,

• $7.9 million to $14.8 million for LOC officers, and

• $6.9 million to $9.7 million for GPO officers.

1Although training costs may be spread over several years, we include the total cost to train some or all

officers in the first year.
Enclosure II

Page 45 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

29

Estimating Costs

Cost Categories We Identified, but did not Estimate

Actual costs for the following items are contingent on needs assessments

and security reviews. These costs include:

• Personnel expenses

• increased overtime and premium pay expenses for GPO officers,1

• background investigations, and

• increased retirement benefits for LOC and/or GPO civilians.

• IT and communication system enhancements and coordination

• Computer replacement for LOC and/or GPO police forces

• Computer workstation (about $2,500).

• Network connections.

1LOC Police and the USCP use the same pay structure, which includes the same rates of overtime and premium pay.

Source: USCP.
Enclosure II

Page 46 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

30

Estimating Costs

Cost Categories We Identified, but did not Estimate (cont’d)

• Security enhancements and coordination for LOC and/or GPO police

forces

• Equipment replacement, for example

• X-ray machines (about $75,000 per machine) and

• magnetometers (from $5,200 to $7,500 per machine).

• Infrastructure (e.g., cameras and alarm systems).

• Vehicle replacement ($25,000 per police cruiser).

• Merger implementation costs (consultants and contractors).

Source: USCP.
Enclosure II

Page 47 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

31

Estimating Costs

Potential Efficiencies from a Merger

Some potential efficiencies could be realized as a result of a merger, but

could not be estimated. Examples of efficiencies include:

• Recruiting and human capital functions

• centralized payroll processing and

• merged recruiting and hiring functions.

• Dispatching and command center functions.
Enclosure II

Page 48 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

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Summary

Several Issues Would Need to be Addressed Prior to a Merger

Congress would need to address several issues about a potential

merger, including whether to merge the LOC Police and/or the GPO

Police with the USCP, how to modify statutory provisions relating to

authority of the forces, whether to alter the composition of the Capitol

Police Board, how to apply USCP retirement provisions for LOC and/or

GPO officers (e.g., differences in enhanced retirement employer and

employee contribution rates), and how best to fund and implement a

merger.

If Congress decides to merge the forces, it would need to address

logistical issues, such as planning and overseeing a merger and setting

a timetable for its completion.
Enclosure II

Page 49 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

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Issues to Address

Issues Congress Would Need to Address

• Whether and how to merge the LOC and/or the GPO police forces with

USCP

• Statutory provisions related to responsibility and authority

• Identify LOC and/or GPO Police responsibilities to be assumed by

the USCP.

• Establish jurisdictional boundaries of the merged force.

• Composition of the Capitol Police Board after a merger

• Determine role of Librarian of Congress and/or Public Printer.

• Determine voting rights for any added officials.
Enclosure II

Page 50 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

34

Issues to Address

Issues Congress Would Need to Address (cont’d)

• Retirement

• Determine the application of USCP mandatory retirement age

provisions for LOC and/or GPO officers.

• Decide how to address differences among retirement plans (e.g., by

automatically providing LOC and/or GPO officers with the same

retirement benefits as USCP officers receive or providing other

options such as buy-outs for selected employees).

• Decide whether and how LOC and/or GPO officers would contribute

to retirement annuities.

• USCP qualifications requirements

• Identify who will decide the extent to and manner in which current

USCP qualification requirements might be applied to LOC and/or

GPO officers.
Enclosure II

Page 51 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

35

Issues to Address

Issues Congress Would Need to Address (cont’d)

• Transfer of annual and sick leave for LOC and/or GPO employees.

• How and when to provide funding for a merger.

• Merger implementation

• Decide how best to address merger implementation issues to

ensure that all interested parties (e.g., appropriate legal, police, IT,

labor, and human capital representatives from USCP, LOC, and/or

GPO) are consulted and their concerns are considered.

• Decide how to address merger implementation issues during a preimplementation period
Enclosure II

Page 52 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

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Issues to Address

Implementation Issues

• Staffing and equipment needs

• Review existing vulnerability, threat, and risk assessments.

• Update these assessments as necessary or conduct new assessments as

needed.

• Utilize the results of these assessments to determine needs.

• Communication and IT integration

• Develop a plan that will select and implement a compatible, integrated

communication infrastructure.

• Development of a unified command structure, including

• developing a unified security plan and emergency procedures,

• determining procedures to govern a unified command, and

• establishing divisions and management structure.
Enclosure II

Page 53 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

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Issues to Address

Implementation Issues (cont’d)

• Timetable for the merger

• Identify phases and establish milestones for accomplishments, while

considering USCP existing plans to recruit, hire, and train additional officers.

• Training requirements

• Determine whether exclusions to training requirements should be allowed,

and if so, on what grounds.

• Determine what protections should be made for officers who are not able to

complete more stringent training requirements (e.g., assigning officers to

light or desk duty).

• Focus on logistics of cross-training merged force.

• Employee needs and concerns

• Hold focus groups with LOC, GPO, and USCP police forces to identify and

prioritize merger implementation issues from an employee perspective.
Enclosure II

Page 54 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

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Options

Merger Options

• We identified four options regarding a potential merger:

• Merge both LOC and GPO police forces with USCP,

• Merge only the LOC Police with USCP,

• Merge only the GPO Police with USCP, and

• Retain current forces and enhance coordination through

memoranda of understandings (MOUs).
Enclosure II

Page 55 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

39

Options

Merge both the LOC and GPO Police with USCP

• Potential security benefits of merging all three forces include:

• Single, unified chain of command among the three forces.

• Better communication and coordination of police activities

throughout Capital complex.

• Centralized intelligence gathering, dissemination, and threat

assessments.

• Consistent response to emergency situations or threats.

• Flexibility in staffing officers.

• Additional training and equipment for merged officers.

• Cost of merging all three forces could range from $28.4 million to $42.4

million.

• Costs depend on how retirement and training issues are addressed.
Enclosure II

Page 56 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

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Options

Merge the LOC Police with USCP

• Similar security benefits as a LOC/GPO/USCP merger although not as

comprehensive.

• LOC’s proximity to the Capitol complex increases the perceived need for

the two forces to coordinate emergency planning, evacuation

procedures, and threat assessments.

• Fewer merger issues would need to be addressed because of similar

missions and officer duties.

• Both the LOC Police and the USCP protect visitors, congressional members

and staff, and national treasures.

• Cost of merging the LOC Police and the USCP could range from $15.2

million to $25.9 million.

• Costs depend on how retirement and training issues are addressed.
Enclosure II

Page 57 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

41

Options

Merge the GPO Police with USCP

• Similar security benefits as the other two options, although not as

comprehensive.

• Differences in mission make a GPO merger with the USCP not as close

a fit because

• GPO police officers’ primarily guard GPO employees and printing

facilities.

• GPO is a little farther away from the Capitol complex.

• Cost of merging the GPO Police and the USCP could range from $13.1

million to $16.3 million.

• Costs depend on how retirement and training issues are addressed.
Enclosure II

Page 58 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

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Options

Retain Current Police Forces and Enhance Coordination

If Congress decides a merger is not desirable, security and coordination

among the three police forces could potentially be enhanced by directing

that the forces establish MOUs.1

• MOU’s could address such things as standardization of equipment and

communication systems and development of a coordinated emergency

response procedure.

1The LOC, the Capitol Police Board, and Architect of the Capitol entered into an MOU in 1998 that

required LOC to purchase compatible equipment and communication systems. A new MOU could include

GPO and specify that all three forces develop coordinated emergency response procedures.
Enclosure II

Page 59 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

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Options

Retain Current Police Forces and Enhance Coordination (cont’d)

• However, MOUs may not address potential security benefits of a

merged force, such as

• unified chain of command,

• flexibility to post officers where they are most needed, and

• efficiencies through centralized dispatch and recruiting functions.

• Potential costs of MOUs

• Potential costs of establishing MOUs could be significant.

• Costs would depend upon what specifically is included in the MOUs.

• Costs could include providing cross-training to some officers and

purchasing security equipment.

• The costs of providing enhanced retirement benefits to LOC and/or

GPO police officers would not be incurred if MOUs were initiated

because officers would remain in their current retirement system.
Enclosure II

Page 60 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

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Options

Merger Option Variations

• The four merger options presented in previous slides represent a basic

range of potential actions.

• Other options and variations which could reduce merger costs might

also be considered. These include:

• privatizing certain aspects of security, and

• reducing or eliminating cross-training by providing cross-training to

fewer officers and/or reducing the scope of the cross-training

provided. Over time, the merged force could cross-train all newly

hired officers.

• These other options need to be considered in the context of benefits to

be gained, costs, and resolving issues that need to be addressed.
Enclosure II

Page 61 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

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Options

Additional Variation: Merge Forces Without Providing Training

• Costs could be reduced by minimizing or eliminating cross-training.

• Total cost of a merger, after eliminating all training for merged officers,

would range (depending on enhanced retirement benefits) from

• $18.9 million to $28.6 million if both LOC and GPO Police were

merged with the USCP,

• $8.4 million to $15.3 million if the LOC Police and USCP merged,

and

• $10.5 million to $13.3 million if the GPO Police and USCP merged.

• This would likely reduce some security benefits such as reducing the

fungibility of officers and reducing seamless security practices; however,

other benefits, such as a unified chain of command and better

communication could be retained.
Page 62 GAO- 02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

Enclosure III

Estimating the Costs of a Potential Merger of the Library of Congress (LOC) Police and/or the

Government Printing Office (GPO) Police with the U.S. Capitol Police (USCP)
Enclosure III

Page 63 GAO- 02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

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Total Merger Costs 16

Summary Costs 13

Training Costs 6

Retirement Costs 10

Increased Salary Costs 4

Equipment Costs 5

Per Capita Officer Costs 17

Summary 3

Contents
Enclosure III

Page 64 GAO- 02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

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Summary

Merger Would Incur Significant Costs

We estimated certain costs of the merger, including increasing salaries for GPO

officers, providing new USCP-standard equipment to all LOC and/or GPO

officers, providing training (including overtime expenses) to officers from all three

forces, and providing enhanced retirement benefits to LOC and/or GPO officers.

• If both the LOC and GPO police forces merged with the USCP, estimated

costs, excluding significant security enhancement costs, among others, could range from $28.4 million to $42.4 million.1

• If the LOC Police merged with the USCP, estimated costs, excluding

significant security enhancement costs, among others, could range from $15.2 million to $25.9 million.

• If the GPO Police merged with the USCP, estimated costs, excluding

significant security enhancement costs, among others, could range from $13.1 million to $16.3 million.

1Totals do not sum due to inclusion of cross-training costs applicable only if both forces merged with the USCP.
Enclosure III

Page 65 GAO- 02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

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Estimating Costs

Estimating Increased Salary Costs for GPO Officers

• Present value of salary increases for 53 GPO officers for the first 5 years

after a merger are estimated to be $3,373,120.

• Salary increases were calculated as the difference in the midpoint

fiscal year 2002 salary, by rank, for comparable USCP and GPO

ranks.

• GPO officers would receive, on average, a 33 percent pay

increase.

• We assumed an annual 3.5 percent cost of living increase.

• Salary costs also include the cost of payroll processing by the

National Finance Center, which already processes USCP and LOC

payrolls.

• No salary increase for LOC officers because the LOC Police use the

same rank and pay structure as the USCP.
Enclosure III

Page 66 GAO- 02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

5

Estimating Costs

Estimating Equipment Costs for LOC and/or GPO Officers

• Equipment costs are estimated to be

• $761,500 for 175 LOC and GPO officers,

• $529,060 for 122 LOC officers, and

• $232,440 for 53 GPO officers.

• Equipment costs include costs to provide LOC and/or GPO officers with

new standard USCP officer equipment, such as handgun, radio, pepper

spray; riot gear and gas mask; and uniform clothing.

• Equipment costs also include the costs to provide communication

equipment, per USCP policy.

• Officers rank sergeant and above are provided with hand-held

communication devices.

• Officers rank captain and above are provided with radio/telephones.
Enclosure III

Page 67 GAO- 02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

6

Weapon qualification

On-the-job traininga

Agency-specific training

Federal Law Enforcement

Training Center (FLETC)

Orientation

Type of training

10 weeks (USCP 2 weeks 1 day

Academy Training)

8 weeks 8 weeks 8 weeks

Semi-annual Semi-annual Annual

1 week None None

8 weeks 6 to 8 weeks 1 to 2 weeks

 USCP LOC GPO

aField training officer program is a structured on-the-job training program that is specific to officers’ job duties and

responsibilities.

Current Training Requirements

Estimating Costs

Source: USCP, LOC Office of Security, and GPO Office of Administrative Support.
Enclosure III

Page 68 GAO- 02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

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Estimating Costs

Options for Providing Basic and Cross-training to Officers

• Training Option 1: Complete cross-training

• All 122 LOC and/or 53 GPO officers receive USCP basic training.

• All 1,208 USCP officers receive training on LOC and/or GPO policies.

• If all forces merge, all LOC and GPO officers receive training on each others’ policies.

• Training Option 2: Partial USCP officer cross-training

• All 122 LOC and/or 53 GPO officers receive USCP basic training.

• 175 USCP officers receive training on LOC and/or GPO policies to allow flexibility in staffing.

• If all forces merge, all LOC and GPO officers receive training on each others’ policies.

• Training Option 3: Partial USCP, LOC, and GPO officer cross-training

• All 122 LOC and/or 53 GPO officers receive USCP basic training.

• 88 USCP officers receive training on LOC and/or GPO policies.

• If all forces merge, half of LOC (61) and GPO (27) officers receive training on each others’ policies.
Enclosure III

Page 69 GAO- 02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

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Estimating Costs

Estimating Training Costs

• Total training cost estimates range from

• $9.5 million to $13.8 million for both LOC and GPO officers,

• $6.7 million to $10.5 million for LOC officers, and

• $2.6 million to $3.0 million for GPO officers.

• Training costs include providing USCP basic training to all LOC and/or

GPO officers, which is estimated to be

• $9,052,770 for LOC and GPO officers,

• $6,446,140 for LOC officers, and

• $2,606,630 for GPO officers.

• Cross-training estimates vary, depending on the number of USCP

officers cross-trained on LOC and/or GPO procedures and on the

number of LOC and/or GPO officers cross-trained on each others’

procedures.
Enclosure III

Page 70 GAO- 02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

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 Total Option 1 $10,524,350 $3,014,450 $13,758,920

 Total Option 2 $7,036,940 $2,665,710 $9,922,770

Cross-training

Basic USCP training $6,446,140 $2,606,630 $9,052,770 a

Total training costs (Basic and cross-training)

 Option 2: Partial, USCP $590,800 $59,080 $870,000

 Option 3: Partial, all forces $297,090 $29,710 $438,540

 Option 1: Complete, all $4,078,210 $407,820 $4,706,150

forces

 Total Option 3 $6,743,230 $2,636,340 $9,491,310

Cost to train if

USCP-LOC

merged

Cost to train

if all forces

merged

Cost to train if

USCP-GPO

merged

Source: GAO analysis of USCP, LOC Office of Security, and GPO Office of Administrative Support data.

Estimating Costs

Estimating Training Costs (cont’d)

aUSCP basic training includes orientation, FLETC, USCP training academy, field officer training, and initial

weapons training.
Enclosure III

Page 71 GAO- 02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

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Estimating Costs

Options for Providing Retirement Benefits

OPM estimated costs for providing enhanced retirement benefits considering two

decisions –whether to provide law enforcement retirement benefits for past service as a

LOC or GPO police officer and whether eligibility should be based on federal service or

federal law enforcement officer service.

• Application of retirement benefits to past service

• LOC and/or GPO officers would be entitled to enhanced retirement benefits

(1) for past service as a LOC or GPO police officer (law enforcement) as well as for future service as a USCP officer, or

(2) only for future service as a USCP officer. Retirement annuity earned from past service would be added to that earned as a USCP officer.

• Eligible years of service

• LOC and/or GPO officers would be required to retire at the usual USCP mandatory

retirement age of 57 (only after October 1, 2008) based on

(a) 20 years of federal service, or

(b) 20 years of federal law enforcement officer service.

• How these decisions are made creates four retirement options for providing law

enforcement retirement benefits to officers.
Enclosure III

Page 72 GAO- 02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

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Estimating Costs

Estimating Increased Retirement Benefit Costs

• Increase in retirement cost estimates range from

• $14.8 million to $24.5 million for both LOC and GPO officers,

• $7.9 million to $14.8 million for LOC officers, and

• $6.9 million to $9.7 million for GPO officers.

• Increase in retirement costs are estimated as the total present value of

the cost to provide law enforcement retirement benefits to LOC and/or

GPO officers.

• Total present value includes the increase in the present value of future

agency contributions and the net increase in the present value of the

unfunded liability to the federal government.
Enclosure III

Page 73 GAO- 02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

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(a) Mandatory retirement for officers $9,200,000 $7,300,000 $16,500,000

with 20 years of federal service

(2) Only future benefits

(1) Retrospective & future benefits

$24,400,000a $9,600,000a $14,800,000a (a) Mandatory retirement for officers

with 20 years of federal service

(b) Mandatory retirement for officers $14,800,000 $9,700,000 $24,500,000

with 20 years of federal law

enforcement officer service

$7,900,000

Cost if USCP

and LOC

merged

(b) Mandatory retirement for officers

with 20 years of federal law

enforcement officer service

$6,900,000 $14,800,000

Cost if all

forces

merged

Cost if USCP

and GPO

merged

Source: OPM analysis of LOC Office of Security and GPO Office of Administrative Support data.

Estimating Increased Retirement Benefit Costs (cont’d)

Estimating Costs

aTotal present value includes the increase in the present value of future agency contributions and the net increase

in the present value of the unfunded liability to the federal government. Amounts assume a merger would be

enacted October 1, 2002, with an effective date of October 1, 2003.
Enclosure III

Page 74 GAO- 02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

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 (2a) Only future benefits, 20 yrs federal service $16,500,000

 (1b) Retroactive & future benefits, 20 yrs of federal law $24,500,000

 enforcement officer service

Providing enhanced retirement benefits

 (2b) Only future benefits, 20 yrs of federal law enforcement officer $14,800,000

service

Providing training to officers

 (3) Cross-train half of LOC & GPO, & 88 USCP officers $9,491,000

 (2) Cross-train all LOC, all GPO, & 175 USCP officers $9,923,000

 (1) Cross-train all LOC, GPO, & USCP officers $13,759,000

$24,400,000

$762,000

$3,373,000

Estimated costs if LOC and

GPO merged with USCP

 (1a) Retroactive & future benefits, 20 yrs federal service

Providing USCP-standard equipment to LOC and GPO

Increasing salaries for GPO officers, first 5 years of merger

Cost Item

Note: Figures in this table do not represent an aggregate total of all costs associated with a merger.

Source: GAO analysis of OPM, USCP, LOC Office of Security, and GPO Office of Administrative Support data.

Estimating Costs

Summary Table of Estimated Costs if LOC, GPO, and USCP Merge
Enclosure III

Page 75 GAO- 02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

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 (2a) Only future benefits, 20 yrs federal service $9,200,000

 (1b) Retroactive & future benefits, 20 yrs of federal law $14,800,000

 enforcement officer experience

Providing enhanced retirement benefits

 (2b) Only future benefits, 20 yrs of federal law enforcement $7,900,000

 officer experience

Providing training to officers

 (3) Cross-train half of LOC & 88 USCP officers $6,743,000

 (2) Cross-train all LOC & 175 USCP officers $7,037,000

 (1) Cross-train all LOC & USCP officers $10,524,000

$14,800,000

$529,000

Estimated costs if LOC

and merged with USCP

 (1a) Retroactive & future benefits, 20 yrs federal service

Providing USCP-standard equipment

Cost Item

Note: Figures in this table do not represent an aggregate total of all costs associated with a merger.

Source: GAO analysis of OPM, USCP, and LOC Office of Security data.

Estimating Costs

Summary Table of Estimated Costs if LOC and USCP Merge
Enclosure III

Page 76 GAO- 02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

15

 (2a) Only future benefits, 20 yrs federal service $7,300,000

 (1b) Retroactive & future benefits, 20 yrs of federal law $9,700,000

 enforcement officer experience

Providing enhanced retirement benefits

 (2b) Only future benefits, 20 yrs of federal law enforcement officer $6,900,000

 experience

Providing training to officers

 (3) Cross-train half of GPO & 88 USCP officers $2,636,000

 (2) Cross-train all GPO & 175 USCP officers $2,666,000

 (1) Cross-train all GPO & USCP officers $3,014,000

$9,600,000

$232,000

$3,373,000

Estimated costs if GPO

merged with USCP

 (1a) Retroactive & future benefits, 20 yrs federal service

Providing USCP-standard equipment

Increasing salaries for GPO officers, first 5 yrs of merger

Cost Item

Note: Figures in this table do not represent an aggregate total of all costs associated with a merger.

Source: GAO analysis of OPM, USCP, LOC Office of Security, and GPO Office of Administrative Support data.

Estimating Costs

Summary Table of Estimated Costs if GPO and USCP Merge
Enclosure III

Page 77 GAO- 02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

16

(2b) Only future / 20 yrs law enf. $15,466,000 $13,171,000 $28,857,000

(2a) Only future / 20 yrs fed svc $16,766,000 $13,571,000 $30,557,000

(1b) Retroactive & future / 20 yrs enf. $22,366,000 $15,971,000 $38,557,000

(1a) Retroactive & future / 20 yrs fed svc $22,366,000 $15,871,000 $38,457,000

Training Option 2: Partial USCP cross-training

$13,142,000

$13,542,000

$15,942,000

$15,842,000

$13,520,000

$13,920,000

$16,320,000

$16,220,000

Total cost if GPO &

USCP merged

$15,172,000

$16,472,000

$22,072,000

$22,072,000

$18,953,000

$20,253,000

$25,853,000

$25,853,000

Total cost if LOC &

USCP merged

(1a) Retroactive & future / 20 yrs fed svc $42,294,000

(2a) Only future / 20 yrs fed svc $30,126,000

(1b) Retroactive & future / 20 yrs law enf. $38,126,000

Training Option 3: Partial cross-training

(2b) Only future / 20 yrs law enf. $28,426,000

Training Option 1: Complete cross-training

(2b) Only future / 20 yrs law enf. $32,694,000

(2a) Only future / 20 yrs fed svc $34,394,000

(1b) Retroactive & future / 20 yrs law enf. $42,394,000

$38,026,000

Total cost if all

forces merged

(1a) Retroactive & future / 20 yrs fed svc

Note: To simplify the presentation of total costs, we included the amounts of increasing GPO salaries ($3,373,120) and

providing LOC and/or GPO officers with equipment in the total.

Source: GAO analysis of OPM, USCP, LOC Office of Security, and GPO Office of Administrative Support data.

Estimating Costs

Merger Options Vary in Cost, Ranging from $13.1 Million to $42.4 Million
Enclosure III

Page 78 GAO- 02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

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Providing cross-training (1 of 3 options)

 (1b) Retroactive & future benefits / 20 yrs law enf. $121,311 $183,019

 (2a) Only future benefits / 20 yrs fed svc $75,410 $137,736

 (2b) Only future benefits / 20 yrs law enf. $64,754 $130,189

Providing USCP basic training $52,837 $49,182

Providing enhanced retirement benefits (1 of 4 options)

 (3) Cross-train half merged & 88 USCP officers $2,435 $561

 (2) Cross-train all merged & 175 USCP officers $4,843 $1,115

 (1) Cross-train all merged & USCP officers $33,428 $7,695

$181,132

$4,386

$63,644

Per officer cost to

merge GPO (53

officers) with USCP

$121,311

 $4,337

 $0

Per officer cost to

merge LOC (122

officers) with USCP

 (1a) Retroactive & future benefits / 20 yrs fed svc

Providing USCP-standard equipment

Increasing salaries for officers, first 5 yrs of merger

Cost Item

Source: GAO analysis of OPM, USCP, LOC Office of Security, and GPO Office of Administrative Support data.

Estimating Costs

Estimated Per Officer Cost to Merge LOC or GPO Officers
Enclosure IV

Page 79 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review
Enclosure V

Page 80 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review
Enclosure V

Page 81 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review
Enclosure V

Page 82 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review
Enclosure V

Page 83 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review
Enclosure VI

Page 84 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review
Enclosure VI

Page 85 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review
Enclosure VI

Page 86 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review
Enclosure VII

Page 87 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review
Enclosure VII

Page 88 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review
Enclosure VIII

Page 89 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review
Enclosure VIII

Page 90 GAO-02-792R U.S. Capitol Police Merger Review

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