VA security personnel aren’t detecting knives or booze, according to a watchdog report assessing medical facility security
The Veterans Affairs Department employs more than 4,300 police officers, physical security specialists and investigators. Julio Tamayo / Getty Images
May 14, 2026 03:32 PM ET
The Government Accountability Office highlighted that there are staffing shortages among VA police, but department officials say they have taken steps to address the issue.
Police officers who guard Veterans Affairs Department medical facilities failed to address security issues in a majority of covert tests conducted by the Government Accountability Office, which also determined that VA leaders have not fully implemented federal building security best practices.
The report, which was published on Wednesday, found that:
- VA staff at all 30 locations that were examined failed to detect a multi-tool with a prohibited knife blade. Investigators noted that only two of the buildings had metal detectors: one of them was not in use and in the other case the device set the...
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