DEA Creating Risk by Hiring Applicants Who Fail Polygraph: Report
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is accused of violating some of its own policies by hiring dozens of applicants who failed lie detector tests, creating "significant and unmitigated risks” to security.
In a report sent to DEA Administrator Anne Milgram, the Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of the Inspector General (OIG), says it “identified numerous concerns that we believe warrant the DEA’s immediate attention” when it comes to hiring.
The report uncovered “inconsistencies” with DEA’s implementation of its 2019 polygraph policy, which stated the agency will not hire Special Agent or Intelligence Research applicants who generated a significant response result that indicates deception on their polygraph.
DEA started requiring the passage of a polygraph in 2019.
According to the report, DEA hired 66 special agents and 11 intelligence research specialists who generated a “significant response,” which indicates deception, on their pre-employment polygraph since the implementation of the policy.
In addition, some of the issues involved applicants with relatives who currently, or formerly, worked for the DEA.
DEA defended its position, saying the policy applied prospectively and that it was following older procedures for jobs that were posted before the policy change. The agency insisted that agents who were hired as late as 2022, were still grandfathered under jobs that were posted before the change and that it no longer hires employees who have “not fully completed the pre-employment polygraph examination or received an unfavorable result.”
A DEA spokesperson told the Los Angeles Times that the agency “continues to implement best practices in hiring to ensure that all DEA employees uphold the values of our organization, exemplify integrity, and — above all — protect the safety and health of all Americans.”
The issues came to light after a former member of the DEA polygraph team filed a whistleblower case, stating that bosses ignored criminal behavior admissions and favored friends and family members.
In response to the OIG’s five recommendations, DEA again agreed to no longer hire any applicant who fails a polygraph, review employees who previously failed the tests, and ensure that those employees take a new exam for any additional positions for which they apply in the agency.
Meanwhile, hiring is not the only issue facing DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. Administrator Milgram also faces questions about awarding no-bid contracts to past associates as well as revelations of agent misconduct.