Homeland Security Has Spent $430 Million on Radios Its Employees Don’t Know How to Use

[AlphaCentauri]

Getting the agencies responsible for national security to communicate better was one of the main reasons the Department of Homeland Security was created after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

But according to a recent report from the department’s inspector general, one aspect of this mission remains far from accomplished.



DHS has spent $430 million over the past nine years to provide radios tuned to a common, secure channel to 123,000 employees across the country. Problem is, no one seems to know how to use them.

Only one of 479 DHS employees surveyed by the inspector general’s office was actually able to use the common channel, according to the report. Most of those surveyed — 72 percent — didn’t even know the common channel existed. Another 25 percent knew the channel existed but weren’t able to find it; 3 percent were able to find an older common channel, but not the current one.

The investigators also found that more than half of the radios did not have the settings for the common channel programmed into them. Only 20 percent of radios tested had all the correct settings.

http://truth-out.org/news/item/12953-homeland-security-has-spent-430-million-on-radios-its-employees-dont-know-how-to-use

[Lindsay]

1. Obviously, what's needed

is for-profit colleges to give classes on this stuff, which employees will be responsible for paying for and taking.

, if you hadn't guessed.

[Wellstone ruled]

2. The big question should be,

which Congressperson owns or has interest in the Radio Manufacturing Company.

[Lionessa]

3. I'm just wondering how much food stamps, or medicaid, or

any other "entitlement" that 430M would have covered.

Before we go stripping entitlements, this sort of thing through out the MIC needs to be stripped. Hell get rid of DHS, not only does anything with the word "homeland" feel creepily Nazi-ish, but it is apparently doing nothing worthwhile and undoubtedly a huge drain of resources.

[LiberalFighter]

4. Why didn't they provide the proper instructions?

It can't be that difficult.

Who all falls under DHS jurisdiction?

[aquart]

5. Can we get rid of the ridiculous moneypit with the fascist name?

[Angry Dragon]

6. prison for those responsible

[msongs]

7. sorry, persons "responsible" will get raises then run for congress nt