DOJ Inspector General Finds Waste and Mismanagement in Government’s Use of Drones
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DOJ(WASHINGTON) — The Department of Justice’s Inspector General on Wednesday released a report detailing “waste and mismanagement” in the federal government’s use of drones.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives spent approximately $600,000 on drones, the report says, but never flew them operationally. The ATF’s drone program was suspended in 2014, but a week after the suspension, a separate unit within the bureau purchased five small drones for about $15,000.
The ATF, though, is just one example of the problems the DOJ Inspector General found with the federal government’s drone programs. The FBI, for instance, has 17 drones, but only one pilot team adequately trained on all of the drone models.
The Inspector General also made a series of recommendations, urging the FBI to “implement a systematic process to reassess regularly [drone] capabilities, technological developments, and resource and training needs” to ensure that the bureau is able to use drones “efficiently and effectively.” The report also urges the ATF to “perform a thorough needs analysis” concerning its drone usage and capabilities.
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