Global Security Newswire

A security officer is suspected of sleeping on duty and of making calls on a cellular telephone that had not been vetted for use within a protected site at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee, the Knoxville News Sentinel reported on Monday (see GSN, Aug. 21, 2009).

Contract security provider "WSI-Oak Ridge (formerly known as Wackenhut Services) has initiated an investigation into all the allegations," company spokeswoman Courtney Henry stated by e-mail.

The newspaper, security firm and Energy Department all received pictures of the guard said to be taken within Building 3019, which has the top levels of protection at Oak Ridge. Significant amounts of uranium 233, a possible nuclear-weapon ingredient, are stored in the structure.

Henry declined to state whether the pictures did actually show the interior of Building 3019.

"At this time the investigation has been initiated and until it is complete I don't have any further details," she stated. "We won't know the exact building where the photos were taken or any other facts until that time."

Use of a camera within the building could also constitute a security violation, in addition to any committed by the guard in the photographs (Frank Munger, Knoxville News Sentinel, Jan. 23).