A report from the OIG has found that ICE needs to reevaluate its plans to reorganize and decentralize its basic and advanced training programs.
The agency, along with HSI and ERO, is proposing to reorganize and decentralize just six months after creating a separate training office, and merging programs into one model.
The OIG found that there was no justification for the proposals, and without a thorough analysis first, decentralizing ICE training could undo the benefits established six months previously. It is particularly concerned that ICE would lose any improvements in capturing expenditures, forecasting costs, projecting training requirements and evaluating effectiveness. According to the report, decentralization could also result in duplication of internal training investments, inconsistencies and missed opportunities to save costs.
The OIG stressed that the recent executive order to hire 10,000 agents and officers makes it particularly important that training is as effective and efficient as possible. It recommends that ICE’s acting director independently assesses the agency’s training needs, and provides an objective analysis on the approach.
ICE does not agree with the recommendation, though, and intends to return to program-led basic and advanced training while also maintaining the centralization of cross-cutting training functions. In its response, ICE states that this method is the best way to execute training in the most efficient and executive manner. The memo goes on to say that it is especially urgent and compelling to have a nimble training delivery program in order to quickly meet the directive to hire 10,000 new law enforcement personnel.