We determined that U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) training approach and execution do not fully support the canine teams’ mission to detect smuggling of illegal narcotics, agriculture products, and humans at and between ports of entry. In fiscal year 2019, CBP decided to realign its Canine Academy, which contributed to a decrease in canine teams trained in the first two quarters of FY 2020. Office of Field Operations (OFO) canine teams used pseudo narcotic training aids past the recommended replacement cycle. Both Border Patrol and OFO canine teams used outdated actual narcotic training aids during proficiency training in the field. Additionally, OFO canine team files did not have required documentation for proficiency training. Furthermore, CBP’s inadequate governance of canine team operations led to outdated Canine Program policies and procedures, inconsistent retention periods for training documents, and an absence of Canine Tracking System policies and procedures. We recommended that the Office of Training and Development (OTD) Assistant Commissioner develop a comprehensive assessment of the Canine Program realignment to ensure implementation according to OTD training standards. Furthermore, we recommended the Border Patrol Chief and OFO Executive Assistant Commissioner ensure their Canine Programs have enough certified canine instructors and adequate training aids to provide proficiency training for canines after they are deployed. In total, we made four recommendations that, if implemented, should help CBP improve oversight of its Canine Program, formalize and implement a realignment plan for the training academy, provide proper training capabilities, and update and standardize program guidance. CBP concurred with all our recommendations.
| Report Date | Agency Reviewed / Investigated | Report Title | Type | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Department of Homeland Security | CBP Needs to Improve the Oversight of its Canine Program to Better Train and Reinforce Canine Performance | Audit | Agency-Wide | View Report | |
| Environmental Protection Agency | EPA Mostly Adheres to Regulations When Assessing Risks of New Pesticides but Should Improve Internal Controls | Audit | Agency-Wide | View Report | |
| Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency | The IG Community’s Joint Efforts To Protect Federal Grants From Fraud, Waste, and Abuse | Other | Agency-Wide | View Report | |
| Department of Energy | The Department of Energy’s Wildland Fire Prevention Efforts at the Los Alamos National Laboratory | Audit |
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View Report | |
| Department of War | Quality Control Review of the BDO USA, LLP FY 2019 Single Audit of the Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine | Inspection / Evaluation | Agency-Wide | View Report | |
| U.S. Agency for International Development | Financial Audit of Tuberculosis Health Action Learning Initiative Project in India Managed by the World Health Partners, Cooperative Agreement AID-386-A-16-00004, April 1, 2019, to March 31, 2020 | Other |
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View Report | |
| Department of the Treasury | Whistleblower Referrals to the Department of the Treasury Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations | Other | Agency-Wide | View Report | |
| Department of War | Audit of Dual Status Commanders For Use in Defense Support of Civil Authorities Missions In Support of the Coronavirus | Audit | Agency-Wide | View Report | |
| Department of War | Lead Inspector General for Operation Inherent Resolve I Quarterly Report to the United States Congress I October 1, 2020 – December 31, 2020 | Review | Agency-Wide | View Report | |
| Environmental Protection Agency | Informe: La labor de respuesta a los huracanes Irma y María en la Región 2 demuestra la necesidad en Puerto Rico y las Islas Vírgenes de los EE. UU. de mejorar la planificación, las comunicaciones y la asistencia para los sistemas de agua potable | Other | Agency-Wide | View Report | |
