Audit of Peace Corps/Volunteer Safety and Security Program

We recommend that the associate director for safety and security coordinate an agency-wide effort to develop, document and disseminate a comprehensive safety and security plan that includes the agency’s safety and security strategy, security risks, and policies to mitigate those risks.

We recommend that the associate director for safety and security work with the associate director of global operations to consolidate the standard operating procedures for safety and security coordinators and ensure the agency has a procedure for all major security issues.

We recommend that the associate director for safety and security work with the associate director for volunteerrecruitment and selection to provide Volunteers with a consolidated handbook on the basic principles ofVolunteer safety during the recruitment and staging processes.

We recommend that the associate director of global operations, in conjunction with the associate director for safety and security and the associate director for volunteer recruitment and selection, develop a code of conduct or list of basic security principles that Volunteers must sign before departure to ensure Volunteers know their responsibilities and accept the risks involved with serving overseas.

We recommend that the associate director for volunteer recruitment and selection work with the associate director for safety and security to ensure the information presented to Volunteers at staging adequately addresses security risks, teaches steps to mitigate those risks, and identifies key Peace Corps personnel involved in the security process.