A Department of Justice audit on the DEA’s use of intelligence analysts had some shocking finds, and a few suggestions.
One of the major problems noted on was the actual security clearances of many analysts. DEA Analysts are required to have Top Secret clearances and regular 5 year background checks. Of the 699 analysts whose records the auditors had access to as of September 2007.

82 did not have either Top Secret clearances or a reinvestigation within the last five years.
19 did not have Top Secret security clearances.
62 hadn’t been reinvestigated
1 had no security clearance

The actual processing of information was also an major concern. Of the 16 strategic reports that the auditors had access to they were published on average about 21 months after they first observed the source on information. While the DEA brushed it off because there agents were so busy on ”the street.”

It gets even worse though, when it comes to national security. According to the DEA Chief of Intelligence ,who is also Assistant Administrator, information concerning terrorism, weapons, or foreign military is to be forwarded to the appropriate agencies within 48 hours. The report went on to note,

“Our testing showed that cables are transmitted on average 34 days from the date the original information was received by the DEA.”

Three pieces of terrorism information were not sent for 39, 44, and 76 days respectively. Other agencies are beginning to become aggravated with one CIA official saying, “..there is a significant delay in receiving information, which can negatively impact operations.”

The report goes on to make nine suggestions covering clearances, background checks, and terrorist information.

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