The Internal Revenue Service has been giving its employees training in how to deal with active shooter situations, as the agency faces an onslaught of threats.
The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration released a
The training program is given to both employees and contractors to offer comprehensive information on IRS security policies, procedures and actions they should take to prepare for and respond to potential security incidents and emergencies.
The report pointed out that IRS leaders need to prepare for emergencies, especially those that can occur without warning. "The rise in active shooter incidents across the United States and the increased hostilities directed at federal agencies make it important for IRS leaders to develop a plan and train their staff on best practices to help keep themselves safe during an active threat situation," said the report.
Last September, an active shooter was reported at the IRS's Memphis campus and local law enforcement personnel were dispatched. The report of an active shooter ultimately turned out to be unfounded, but TIGTA's discussions with some managers on-site the day of the incident indicated there was a great deal of confusion, with opportunities for the IRS to improve its preparedness.
Some threats were not unfounded. In 2010, a man committed suicide by crashing a small airplane into an IRS building in Austin, Texas, killing an IRS employee (
The IRS is responding to potential threats with active shooter training, as schools across the country have been doing in recent years amid a wave of mass shootings. But while the service has provided employees with materials to raise awareness about active shooter situations, the report cautioned that more actions are needed to ensure contractors are aware of security protocols.
In addition to training, employees also need to understand their options for responses to enable them to react decisively. For example, the report pointed out that the IRS missed the opportunity to conduct a significant after-action assessment following the recent event in Memphis, which would have helped identify shortcomings in its mass notification messaging and post-incident accounting for staff.
TIGTA made five recommendations in the report, suggesting that IRS managers ensure action is taken if contractors don't complete their security briefings in a timely way. The report also recommended the service update its policies to require after-action reports of active shooter drills or events to assess the efficacy of the response. IRS officials should also update the annual security briefing to emphasize that employees need to discuss emergency preparedness with their managers annually, the report suggested. In addition, it said IRS officials should formally stipulate and agree on when and how the agency's AtHoc emergency alert notification system will be used to notify staff of active shooter events and how it will be used post-event to account for staff.
The service agreed with all the recommendations in the report.
"We appreciate your report acknowledging the IRS developed an active shooter training program that educates employees on the 'Run, Hide, Fight' response that aligns with the Department of Homeland Security guidelines for dealing with an active shooter situation," wrote Richard Rodriguez, chief of facilities management and security services at the IRS. He added that the recommendations would assist its efforts to enhance emergency preparedness.
