Department of Justice (DOJ) Deputy Inspector General Performing the Duties of the Inspector General William M. Blier announced today the release of a management advisory memorandum regarding the DOJ Office of Inspector General’s (OIG) concerns arising from the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) providing nearly all of its employees with badges and law enforcement credentials.
Credentials with law enforcement markings and badges generally signify that the holder is a qualified law enforcement officer authorized by their agency to carry a firearm, and that the holder has regularly qualified in the use of firearms. The OIG identified its concerns during investigations in which we found that, in lieu of obtaining state permits as required by state law, BOP employees utilized BOP credentials with law enforcement markings—and in some cases badges—to purchase firearms for personal use when they were not authorized by the BOP to carry firearms.
We specifically found that:
- Although BOP policy did not permit these employees to use their credentials to purchase firearms, the fact that the BOP issued them the credentials with law enforcement markings—and no additional markings to indicate whether the employees were authorized carry firearms—facilitated the purchases and impaired prosecution of these employees.
- BOP’s policies regarding how credentials with law enforcement markings and badges may be used by BOP employees lack clarity, which enhances the risk that employees will misuse the credentials and badges to purchase firearms in violation of state laws.
The DOJ OIG made two recommendations to the BOP. The BOP agreed in part and disagreed in part with one recommendation, and agreed with the other recommendation.