Back-Up Power to its Video Management Alert – CBP Needs to Provide Adequate Emergency Surveillance Systems at the Blaine Area Ports to Ensure Secure and Safe Operations (REDACTED)

Date Issued

Monday, January 9, 2023

Submitting OIG

Department of Homeland Security OIG

Other Participating OIGs

Department of Homeland Security OIG

Agencies Reviewed/Investigated

Department of Homeland Security

Components

United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

Report Number

OIG-23-06

Report Description

This alert informs you of an urgent issue we discovered during an ongoing audit and the actions CBP has taken to address the issues. Specifically, we found inadequate emergency back-up power for operating the Blaine Command Center’s centralized video surveillance system equipment and video surveillance camera equipment at Pacific Highway and Peace Arch land ports of entry during power outages.

Report Type

Audit

Agency Wide

Yes

Number of Recommendations

Questioned Costs

Funds for Better Use

Open Recommendations

This report has 3 open recommendations.

Recommendation Number	Significant Recommendation	Recommended Questioned Costs	Recommended Funds for Better Use
1	No	$0	$0
We recommend the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations, Executive Assistant Commissioner take immediate action to ensure the Blaine Command Center is connected to adequate emergency back-up power. To accomplish this, CBP should work closely with the U.S. General Services Administration to determine the most efficient and effective method for connecting the Blaine Command Center to adequate emergency back-up power.
2	No	$0	$0
We recommend the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations, Executive Assistant Commissioner take immediate action to ensure video surveillance camera equipment at the Pacific Highway and Peace Arch land ports of entry is connected to adequate emergency backup power. As part of U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s corrective action plan, it should consider assessing its operational areas at the Pacific Highway and Peace Arch land ports of entry to determine any additional equipment requiring connection to adequate emergency back-up power.
3	No	$0	$0
We recommend the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations, Executive Assistant Commissioner: conduct assessments at its land ports of entry to identify video surveillance camera equipment not connected to adequate emergency back-up power as required; and develop and implement a strategy to fund and timely resolve issues identified during the assessment of land ports of entry.