Homeland Security tightens scrutiny of internal misconduct

By BEN FOX
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Employees accused of misconduct at the Department of Homeland Security could face more stringent penalties under an overhaul that follows complaints about the handling of internal discipline in the third largest U.S. government agency. DHS said Thursday it will centralize serious misconduct investigations instead of allowing them to be handled by components of a sprawling organization that includes Customs and Border Protection, the Transportation Security Administration, the Secret Service and FEMA. Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas ordered a review in April after reports revealed that thousands of employees had experienced sexual harassment and misconduct and that some DHS components paid settlements without penalizing or even investigating the perpetrators.