GENERAL SERVICES FINDS POSSIBLE DISCREPANCIES IN SECURITY SERVICES PROVIDED BY CONTRACTOR
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Jan. 8, 2008) -
Preliminary findings in the building security audit currently underway by the Department of General Services indicate contracted security guards may not have been on duty during all of the hours billed for services at the Metro Office Building that houses the Davidson County Election Commission.
This question was raised today through a comparison of invoices and building access records for the past three months. General Services can find no cardkey access to the building by security guards on Saturdays from October to December when Metro was billed for 12 hours of service per day by Wackenhut Corp., which subcontracts the work to Specialized Security Consultants.
“I received preliminary feedback today from the building security audit my office asked General Service to begin last week. These findings raised such serious concerns that I felt the public should be made aware of them immediately, rather than waiting until the audit is complete,” Mayor Karl Dean said.
“I have given direction to the Law Department to ask Wackenhut for proof their employees were on duty for the time we were billed and to take appropriate action if the company has in fact violated its contract with Metro Government.”
The Law Department has sent a letter to Wackenhut requesting proof of work for which they have billed and for the sub-contractor to be removed from Metro security detail while an independent accounting firm is retained to audit all of the security services provided in Metro buildings by the company.
For media inquiries contact:
Janel Lacy
(615) 862-6020
janel.lacy@nashville.gov