Former Veterans Administration police: The VA is ripe for a mass killing

The recent fatal shooting at El Paso’s Veterans Administration clinic is highlighting security lapses nationwide.

Iraq War veteran and VA clerk Jerry Serrato killed a psychologist and then turned the gun on himself.

Now VA police are speaking out on unaddressed problems.

The fatal shooting that took place at the VA clinic in El Paso is still very fresh.

It happened less than two weeks ago.

The deadly incident made headlines across the nation.

Former police officials from VA police are saying they’ve been begging for help for years.

An article in Saturday’s Washington Post reports VA police officials are saying clinics have had systemic safety and security problems for years.

John Glidwell, former chief of police at the Cheyenne, Wyoming. VA clinic told the Post:

“These are the same issues we have been screaming for help with the entire 10.5 years I have been with the VA police.”

Glidwell also said the issue has grown more urgent in recent months after veterans started finding out the VA was lying about patient wait times.

Media reports show a laundry list of shootings and violent incidents across the nation not only between veterans and staff but committed by employees as well.

“We are dealing with a population of veterans that suffer from assorted health issues including (post traumatic stress disorder). Sometimes they have drug and alcohol problems and when they feel the VA lies to them they get more disgruntled. The VA is ripe for a mass killing but no one is listening to us,” Glidwell said in an interview.

Officials at the VA say they will begin actively addressing staffing shortages, security and surveillance systems.

But VA police say the problem is more complex. They say they need stronger policies for dealing with disruptive patients and what happens in the event of a shooting.

The VA systems chief of police says they will be addressing security concerns and systems such as motion detectors, cameras and door alarms would be added to VA clinics by the end of the fiscal year.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/federal-eye/wp/2015/01/17/after-fatal-shooting-at-el-paso-hospital-va-police-highlight-nationwide-security-lapses-in-vas-medical-system/