I. INTRODUCTION
The operations of House Garages and Parking Security (Parking)
have significantly improved during the 104th Congress.
Employee duties were expanded and enhanced after Parking operations
were moved from the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) to the Office
of the Sergeant at Arms (SAA)--resulting in a more professional
attitude and increased employee morale. The SAA also established
formal written policies and procedures which provide guidance
to Parking personnel. Furthermore, the SAA has acquired some additional
equipment to assist employees in performing their duties. Parking
has also expanded the services available to Members and staff.
However, parking operations would benefit from further improvements.
Background
On May 23, 1995, the Committee on House Oversight (CHO) adopted
Parking Regulations and agreed to transfer operational and financial
responsibility for House Parking to the SAA, effective July 1, 1995.
The U.S. House of Representatives (House) provides approximately
6,000 parking spaces to Members and staff. Staff are defined as
employees of the House, AOC, United States Capitol Police (USCP),
and non-House employees who are regularly detailed to work assignments
in the House. Parking is responsible for the management, safety,
and security of vehicles and pedestrians in all House garages
and parking lots on Capitol Hill. To manage the parking requirements
of the House, Parking maintains a computerized database of individuals
and vehicles authorized for parking. Parking also issues both
permanent and temporary parking permits and stickers.
Parking personnel enforce all parking rules and regulations established
by the CHO. Parking personnel also identify and correct problems
on the premises and assist Members and staff with vehicle emergency
service. In addition, they assist the USCP with security control
for all House garages and parking lots.
Objective, Scope, And Methodology
The objective of our audit was to evaluate the effectiveness of
Parking operations. We identified and evaluated operations through
(1) interviews with Parking personnel; (2) reviews of pertinent
policies and procedures; (3) observations of operations; and (4)
reviews of management reports. Our audit covered the period November
1995 through October 1996 and was conducted in accordance with
Government Auditing Standards issued by the Comptroller
General of the United States.
Internal Controls
During this review, we evaluated internal controls over Parking
operations. The internal control weakness we identified is described
in the Results of Review section of this report.
Prior Audit Coverage
Opportunities Exist To Improve Resource Utilization In The
Office Of The Sergeant At Arms (Report No. 95-SAA-14, dated
July 18, 1995). This audit reviewed parking operations and determined
that (1) inadequate controls resulted in multiple parking permits
being issued to single vehicles; (2) House Parking staff levels
led to overstaffing; and (3) wages were excessive relative to
the private sector. The audit report recommended that (1) parking
permits be assigned by a unique unalterable identifier such as
the House employee identification (ID) number, to ensure that
only one parking permit is issued per employee; (2) staffing levels
be reduced; and (3) wages be more reflective of the private sector
or additional duties be assigned. The SAA has completed action
on the last two recommendations and is currently working with
the House Identification Office to obtain
ID numbers of the individuals in the parking database in order
to complete action on the first recommendation. However, this
process cannot be completed until IDs for the 105th
Congress are issued. (The Exhibit at the end of this report provides
a summary of the implementation status of each of the three recommendations.)
II. RESULTS OF REVIEW
The overall operations of Parking have significantly improved
since its transfer to the SAA. Specifically, the SAA has (1) expanded
and enhanced staff duties resulting in a more professional attitude
and increased employee morale; (2) enacted formal, written policies
and procedures which provide guidance to Parking personnel; (3) acquired
additional equipment; and (4) developed a holographic hang tag
for use in the 105th Congress. However, we identified
certain areas where additional improvements could be made.
SAA Improvements
Expanded and Enhanced Staff Duties
During the 104th Congress, the SAA expanded the duties
of Parking personnel to include responsibility for the security
of vehicles and pedestrians within all House garages and parking
lots. Prior to the transfer of parking operations from the AOC,
Parking personnel functioned simply as parking lot attendants.
The staff did not wear uniforms and were not trained in security
measures. To equip Parking personnel for this expanded role, the
SAA provided training and uniforms. In addition, the SAA instituted
roll calls and security patrols to better manage and report on
individual officer performance. As a result of these actions,
the House parking environment is now very security oriented.
Additional training now provided to Parking personnel includes
such security related areas as bomb detection and identification
of suspicious activities. Parking personnel also received--or
are scheduled to receive--training in CPR, fire safety, and computer
applications. Furthermore, the Parking personnel are now required
to wear a standard uniform. As a result of this improvement, Parking
personnel now look and act more professional.
All personnel are required to report to their respective shift's
roll call, where work instructions and relevant information about
internal policies and other activities is disseminated. This daily
roll call was initiated by the SAA and helps management better
assign and locate personnel. Currently, Parking personnel patrol
the garages and lots periodically and record any violations in
a Daily Garage and Lot Report which is maintained by each
shift. In addition, a log is maintained which documents
any problems that occur (i.e., vehicle break-ins, incidents involving
the Congressional License Tag, etc.). The log book also documents
each time assistance is given. A shift supervisor compiles a monthly
report based on the log book and gives this information to the
Parking Director. This information is included in a quarterly
report submitted to the SAA.
Developed Written Policies and Procedures
Parking has developed formal written policies and procedures which
provide Parking personnel with operational guidance. These policies
and procedure include lot and garage responsibilities, shift hours,
roll call procedures, annual and sick leave policies, uniform
requirements, and other administrative matters. In addition, these
policies provide examples of parking permits, the Daily Garage
and Lot Report, and the Daily Garage and Lot Violation
Notice for easy reference by Parking personnel. The existence
of written policies and procedures is an important internal control
which provides Parking personnel information on their duties and
responsibilities and the expectation of management.
Acquired Additional Equipment
As part of the SAA's new focus on House security, Parking purchased
additional security equipment. One major improvement was the acquisition
of two-way radios. Since most of the existing parking lots do
not have telephones, the addition of two-way radios allows Parking
personnel to notify supervisors of problems and be able to call
for assistance. In addition, battery booster packs have been obtained
to jump-start vehicles. Although the SAA should be commended for
these efforts, additional equipment is still needed. (See discussion
below, under the caption Additional Improvements Can Still
Be Made.)
Developed a Holographic Hang Tag
Starting with the 105th Congress, Parking will issue
holographic hang tags instead of parking stickers. Parking stickers
were difficult to affix to the bumpers of newer cars and their
removal sometimes caused damage to bumpers. In addition, the sticker,
or a substantial portion, was required to be returned to Parking
before a new one could be issued, and sometimes it was difficult
to remove a sticker or even a significant portion of a sticker.
The holographic tag is a removable permit which can be hung from
a vehicle's inside mirror. Also, the holograph is difficult to
counterfeit, thus minimizing unauthorized access to the House
garages and lots.
Additional Improvements Can Still Be Made
Although the SAA has vastly improved parking operations during
the 104th Congress, additional improvements can still
be made. Parking rules are not uniformly enforced regarding: (1) Congressional
License Tags; (2) positive identification for admittance to garages
and lots; and (3) parking by former Members. Other areas of concern
are controls over pedestrian traffic, lack of posted speed limits
in the garages and parking lots, and the need for additional equipment
and more uniform advertising of expanded services.
Congressional License Tags
According to Parking personnel, there is frequent abuse of the
Congressional License Tag, commonly referred to as the "H"
plate. The "H" plate is a portable, rectangular plate
provided to each Member, and serves as his or her parking permit.
According to the Committee On House Oversight Policy,
Rules And Operating Regulations For Parking (the Parking
Rules), dated May 23, 1995, parking permits are for the use
of the permit holder only and are non-transferable. A Member is
automatically given one "H" plate, which comes out of
his or her parking space allotment. The Member may also request
a second "H" plate for a spouse, which does not count
against this allotment. Staff are supposed to use the "H"
plate only when accompanied by a Member. However, Parking personnel
indicated that Members' staff often use the "H" plate
even when the Member isn't present. Staff may use this plate to
park in a location other than their assigned one. For example,
a staff member may be assigned to the Rayburn garage but will
use the "H" plate to park in the Cannon garage because
it is more convenient. Parking personnel will not normally stop
an unaccompanied staff member in possession of an "H"
plate from parking in a garage or lot. However, according to both
the Assistant Director of Parking and a shift supervisor, if this
activity occurs three to four times, the attendant will inform
Parking management who then contacts the offending staff to discuss
the situation. If this activity persists, Parking management will
contact the Member's chief of staff in order to correct the problem.
As part of our review, we toured the Cannon garage and found several
examples of cars with "H" plates that were parked in
reserved spots. The Shift Supervisor explained that the individuals
who had parked there were in violation of House policy because
they were not assigned to these particular spots.
Besides using the "H" plate to park in a more convenient
location, staff sometimes use the "H" plate to help
others gain improper access to a garage or lot. The staff will
enter a parking facility with the "H" plate, park, remove
the plate, and give it to another individual who, in turn, uses
the plate to park. During patrols of the parking facilities, Parking
personnel may notice that a parked vehicle has no parking sticker.
If they are unfamiliar with the vehicle and cannot identify the
owner, they notify the USCP who run the license plate through
a national computer database. If the vehicle remains unidentified,
the police will close off the surrounding area and bring in a
K-9 unit and/or the bomb squad to do a sweep of the vehicle. Although
this happens rarely--twice during the last ten months--it is an
unnecessary disruption of, and potential security threat to, parking
operations. The Parking Rules provide that unattended
vehicles found inside a garage without a sticker, and which cannot
be identified by the registry maintained by the Superintendent
of Garages (now the Director of Parking), and whose driver cannot
be quickly located, will be immediately towed or booted. However,
this is not uniformly enforced. Although CHO policy dictates that
permits are not transferable, Parking supervisors indicated that
they would be uncomfortable in bringing such a problem to the
attention of a Member.
Positive Identification for Admittance to Garages and Parking
Lots
Most garages and parking lots have signs stating that an ID must
be shown for admittance. In order to determine if this policy
was consistently enforced, we attempted to gain unauthorized entrance
to several parking facilities. In parking facilities where the
attendant on duty did not recognize us, we were asked to show
an ID. Conversely, we found that individuals with whom a Parking
officer was familiar would be allowed entrance without being asked
for an ID. To reduce any familiarity which might relax standards
and policies, best practices dictate that Parking personnel be
rotated from post to post. We were told that Parking has no formal
policy on the rotation of personnel, and that personnel were relocated
only to meet temporary staff shortages. Parking officials also
explained that they wanted to keep the more senior people inside
the garages and to maintain the same personnel assignments that
existed prior to the SAA taking over Parking. In addition, they
noted that, on occasions where attendants had been relocated,
Members complained because they felt more comfortable with individuals
they already knew.
Parking by Former Members
Former Members have the privilege of parking in the garages and
lots at any time without first obtaining authorization from Parking.
Consequently, there may be no identifying mark on the vehicle,
e.g., a sticker or temporary permit. Although picture identification
is required to access a parking facility, shifts change and the
individual who allowed the former Member to enter may no longer
be on duty. Therefore, a problem regarding unidentified vehicles
in a garage (similar to the "H" plate problem discussed
above) may arise. A requirement that former Members obtain temporary
parking permits could alleviate this problem.
Controls Over Pedestrian Traffic
We identified a problem with pedestrian traffic entering garages.
Since there is no central pedestrian entrance, pedestrian traffic
can be a distraction to the Parking personnel on duty. To illustrate
this problem, we switched IDs among ourselves and attempted to
enter a garage. We showed the IDs at a distance of about 50 feet
and were cleared through. However, if we had been required to
enter at a specific point adjacent to the security booth, the
Parking officer would likely have realized that the IDs had been
switched.
Lack of Posted Speed Limits
House parking facilities do not always have posted speed limits.
Parking management stated that although there is no formal policy
regarding speed limits, it is "assumed" to be 20 to
25 miles per hour (mph). However, the entrance to the
Rayburn, East, and West garages have a posted speed limit
of 10 mph. According to the USCP, the Cannon garage had a speed
limit sign but it disappeared. One speed limit should be formally
established and prominently posted on each level of all garages
and each parking lot.
Additional Equipment Needed
Parking has a 1981 van which does not have the height clearance
to enter the lower levels of the garages and, therefore, covers
a limited territory. According to personnel, having one van (particularly
an older model) makes it difficult for Parking to perform all
of its duties timely. Currently, the SAA loans two of its vehicles
(from other SAA operations) to Parking. These vehicles have low
clearance and are police-equipped, which helps Parking carry out
its duties. However, the SAA can retrieve these vehicles at any
time. In order to maximize security in garages and parking lots,
Parking should have its own permanently assigned, police-equipped
vehicle(s).
More Uniform Notification of Emergency Services
The SAA has expanded the emergency services provided by Parking.
As part of their duties, Parking personnel provide emergency assistance
to Members and staff. Such assistance includes jump-starting cars,
changing flat tires, opening inadvertently locked cars, and escorting
individuals to and from parking lots. Although we noted that numerous
individuals have used these services, notification of the availability
of these services is accomplished through informal communication
(i.e., word of mouth) rather than on a more uniform, House-wide
basis. In some cases, individual attendants may personally inform
the people who park in their garages and lots about these services.
However, according to one Shift Supervisor, there is no formal
notification process. These are important services, benefiting
all Members and staff, which should be more widely communicated.
Recommendations:
We recommend that the Office of the Sergeant at Arms:
1. Direct Parking management to more uniformly enforce established
Parking Rules regarding the proper use of Congressional
License Tags and displaying of positive identification for admittance
to garages and lots.
2. Develop a proposal, for approval by the Committee on House
Oversight, to require former Members to obtain temporary parking
permits.
3. Review whether central pedestrian entrances for garages are
feasible.
4. Establish an official speed limit for all parking facilities
which is uniformly posted and enforced.
5. Identify additional equipment requirements for Parking operations
and, if appropriate, develop a proposal, for
approval by the Committee on House Oversight, to purchase such
equipment.
6. Provide uniform notification of the emergency services provided
by Parking operations.
Management Response
On January 8, 1997, the SAA concurred with the recommendations
in this finding. The Director of House Garages and Parking Security
is working with the Committee on House Oversight to address uniform
enforcement of Parking Rules, requiring former Members to obtain
temporary parking permits, and the feasibility of central pedestrian
entrances. In addition, the Director of House Garages and Parking
Security will contact the House Building Superintendent to post
speed limits for all parking facilities. At the end of the 104th
Congress the SAA purchased two Cushman motorized carts for the
Office of House Garages and Parking Security. The SAA has notified
Member offices that emergency services are available and will
provide this same information to the House Officers.
Office of Inspector General Comments
The SAA's current and planned actions are responsive to the issues
we identified, and when fully implemented, should satisfy the
intent of our recommendations.
EXHIBIT
Audit Report/Recommendations |
|
Comments on Corrective Actions Taken And/Or Planned |
|
| Audit Report No. 95-SAA-14, entitled Opportunities Exist To Improve Resource Utilization In The Office Of The Sergeant At Arms, dated July 18, 1995: | |||
| B. Prepare a proposal, for approval by the CHO, to revise House Parking facilities staffing in accordance with garage and lot peak and non-peak activity levels. | A study was conducted to determine parking lot peak and non peak activity resulting in the elimination of one third of the positions. | ||
| C. Develop a proposal to place House Parking personnel under the House Employee Schedule at a rate that more closely reflects private industry standards or assign them additional duties. | House parking personnel were transferred to SAA. The positions are basically entry level law enforcement. This is at the lowest pay scale (approximately $14,000 - $30,000 range) with an average of $18,000. This transfer occurred about one year ago. | ||
| D. Assign parking permits by a unique, unalterable identifier--such as the House employee ID number--to ensure that only one parking permit is issued per employee. | SAA is in the process of developing new parking permits which are basically color coded hanging tags. The tags are printed on both sides and contain holographic data. The tags must be hung from the rear view mirror. | ||