DOJ IG Releases Survey on Components’ COVID-19 Response

The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted the Department of Justice’s law enforcement investigations, according to a recently released employee survey of major DOJ components by the department’s Office of the Inspector General. This survey was conducted between July 7, 2020 and August 3, 2020 and distributed to Special Agents, Criminal Investigators, U.S. Marshals, and Deputy U.S. Marshals. Out of 27,698 employees who received the survey, 6,146 responded, making the response rate 22.2%. The survey included questions on masks use, PPE supply and training, impact on Agency operations, delivering warrants and taking suspects into custody, COVID-19 testing and screening, and notification protocols.

Of the DOJ employees who responded, 64 percent indicated that the pandemic had impacted their ability to work their cases. These responses include employees from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Offices of the United States Attorneys (USAO), and the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS).

Additionally, many DOJ employees believe that their agencies did not respond well to the pandemic and could have better followed safety protocols. One survey respondent said, “Policies are put in place and sent out, but not enforced. People in my office are not wearing masks or social distancing.”

Furthermore, while personal protective equipment had been given to many employees, many reported that their coworkers were not using the equipment properly, if at all. 93 percent of respondents reported that they had not been tested for COVID-19, and 57 percent claimed that health measures like temperature checks were not being implemented.

Michael Horowitz, the DOJ inspector general said of the survey, “Our results indicate a cultural component may be contributing to whether employees practice recommended safety protocols. Therefore, consistent communication and follow-through by senior leadership and management, as it relates to COVID-19 guidance and protocol, are important factors to ensuring the safety, productivity, and health of their employees, as well as those with whom department personnel interact.”