GovernmentExecutive.com

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said Thursday that the departmentwide review he commissioned more than two months ago is winding down, but no report or printed document will be publicly released.

Chertoff said the groups working on the review are on track to begin reporting their findings to him by the end of May. He will meet with the various groups during the next few weeks to discuss suggestions. He said some portions of their review will "probably" be unveiled in early June, but other aspects will take longer.

"This is not going to result in unveiling a printed report," he said at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. "[Instead, it's] going to be a template and a strategy for going forward over the next months across the board, dealing with all the missions of the department and all the department's responsibilities."

He added: "The purpose was not to produce a single document that could then be published and sent around. It was really for me and the leadership team at the department to be able to look across the board at what we're doing, figure out what the gaps are, where we need to make some changes, and work out some substantive policies."

Chertoff announced in early March that he had ordered the review, only weeks after he took over the reins of the sprawling, two-year-old department. He said the review enabled department officials to think beyond what is acceptable or conventional and to discuss what they would do differently.

"My impression is there's a lot of energy and excitement in the department about doing this," he said. "I've actually started to sit down and get a preview of what the findings and the suggestions are, and I think we will produce some very interesting and important results in terms of mapping our next months of activity."

COMMENTS

• If I were Mr. Chertoff, I woudldn't want the IG report published either. It would not be fair for him to take the blame for all the embarassing failures created by Ridge, Loy, Hutchinson, and Garcia. However his responsibility begins with making corrections to the problems that he inherited. After all, the employees at DHS know what these problems are. There are no secrets in DHS. Remember the IG report reflect the complaints by the public, congress, GAO and DHS employees. If Mr. Chertoff does not resolve the most critical of these problems before leaving he will likely go down in history as just another "Ridge". I'm sure that he doesn't want a reputation as being just another impotent clown. Mr. Chertoff's success or lack thereof as Secretary of DHS will be in direct proportion to how much self respect he has. It is not that much different than being in prison. You either serve your sentence like a man or you don't. GovExec.com reader Posted May 23, 2005 1:41 PM
• What happened to the public's right to know? As a DHS employee and a taxpayer, I think everyone should be able to hear what the review says, good or bad. Otherwise, it gives the appearance of impropriety, as if the department has something to hide. Let the sun shine on the report, so that we are all on the same page. If not, then the public may wonder whether things that show DHS in a bad light are being covered up, such as the previous management team's incompetence and ignorance in setting up DHS in the first place. Remember, honesty is the best policy. After all, we in DHS have nothing to hide, or do we? GovExec.com reader Posted May 23, 2005 12:14 PM