The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is reportedly considering using private companies to check security measures for cargo from foreign ports.
The Washington Times reported Tuesday that Homeland Security was acting on a suggestion by U.S. Rep. Loretta Sanchez, D-Calif., to contract out such security measures. The department has about 80 inspectors handling some 10,000 applications from companies seeking quicker security access to U.S. ports, the Times said.
Some 5,800 companies have been "certified" and get some shipping shortcuts and about 1,500 carry a "validated" label, meaning they have to undergo fewer on-site inspections at U.S. ports, a customs official told the Times.
That official, Jayson Ahearn, told the newspaper the agency had "resisted the notion of third-party validators," but that doesn't mean the door is closed.
"We want to have the largest corporations in the industry, the importers reaching back to their suppliers, vendors, manufacturers, putting levels of security throughout the supply chain," Ahearn said.
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