OS&LE and LETC Oversee Themselves?

OS&LE and LETC responded to the request for oversight records by admitting they have no external oversight (12 01 30 VA Response). Here are two armed organizations with criminal investigation duties and responsibilities, arrest authority, and authorized to exercise deadly force that admit they have literally no oversight. The first admission of this was the release dated January 30, 2012 which states, “This organization (OS&LE) does not maintain records that are responsive to your request as written for ‘records concerning oversight of the Office of Security and Law Enforcement and the Law Enforcement Training Center for 2006-2011’…” The final admission of no oversight came from the VA’s Office of General Counsel (14 05 20 VA Response (2)): “…in response to this portion of your request OSLE noted the following: a) that internal monitoring is conducted through successive levels of management; b) that LETC is accredited by the Federal Law Enforcement Accreditation Board (FLETA); …” (read the paragraph 7 yourself). My interpretation of this response is the admission that OS&LE and LETC practice self regulation to ensure regulatory compliance which prove through other releases to be a failure.

Of course, the assertion that compliance is maintained by successive levels of management is a failure.  Note in 12 VA Release (6) that the memorandum issued in 2012 to the members of OS&LE and LETC direct them to complete annual medical and psychological evaluations in accordance with VA Directive and Handbook 0730.  Why would the DAS/Director of OS&LE need to issue a memorandum if his subordinates were in compliance?  What other aspects of Directive and Handbook 0730 were or are not being accomplished by OS&LE or LETC personnel?

The FLETA reference is an obvious distractor. FLETA establishes a standard for training and for the LETC conduct of courses. FLETA does not have anything to do with ensuring the instructors are in compliance with the agency’s occupational standards.

Conclusion:  the Inspector General or some other external body should review the activities of these armed law enforcement offices to ensure efficiency of resources and ethical behaviors.