Inspection Report: IG-0820

The Department of Energy’s (Department) Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
(Livermore) is a premier research and development institution supporting the Department’s scientific, engineering, environmental, and national security activities. Livermore is managed and operated under contract by Lawrence Livermore National Security (LLNS) LLC, for the Department’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). In accordance with the Department’s safeguards and security policy, Livermore maintains a cadre of armed protective force officers to prevent and defend against malevolent acts.
Federal regulations establish protective force arrest authority to enforce specific laws regarding property of the United States in the custody of the Department or its contractors.
Federal regulations and Department policy limit protective force officials’ arrest authority to the performance of official duties related to Department property.
In November 2008, the Office of Inspector General received an allegation that
Livermore’s protective force was acting outside its established authority. Specifically, it was alleged that the protective force violated the law and Livermore policy by responding to a local Livermore Police Department radio call for assistance, which they overheard on their police band radio. Protective force officers already away from the Livermore site responded to a private residence and interacted with the public. It was also alleged that while onsite at Livermore, the protective force violated employees’ privacy rights by
accessing the Department of Motor Vehicles database when conducting vehicle traffic stops for administrative traffic violations. We noted that the protective force was using the California Law Enforcement Telecommunication System (CLETS) to access the Department of Motor Vehicles database. Information available from CLETS can include vehicle registration information and criminal records, such as outstanding “wants and warrants.” We initiated this inspection to review the facts and circumstances regarding the allegation.