To put this into perspective, we need to know the total number of laptops thay had in service over the timeframe.Well that's true. What seems like a lot to us may only be a small percentage to the number in use. For it to be only a 10% loss you would have to have 11,370 in use. For 5% 22,740 in use. You would also need to factor in average use each computer had when it was lost taking in to account the average functional use life for each computer. Losing a 4 year old computer is far less significant than losing a 4 month old computer. In my opinion you would, however, have to have a whole H*** of a lot in use to make losing 3 every 5 days insignificant.
How things have changed !
I once worked at Hunters Point Naval Shipyard (Closed now). When I worked there even our lunch boxes were searched.
When I was in the Army EVERYTHING had to be accounted for, right down to the tent stakes & C rations. Yes ! We ate C rations from WW11. (I rember the Ham&Eggs, tasted like Sulpher - Give me Spam over that any day).
I degress. The point is that security has certainly lapsed. It seems to me that in this day & age there is absolutely no responsibility by anyone for anything. NO ACCONTABILITY AT ALL !
When I was younger; If you screwed up, you admitted it, took your lumps and got on with it.
A few weeks ago Nathan (Grandson) told me in a very arrogant way that I couldn't hit him because I'd be in trouble. So, I smacked him behind the head.
Amen. I have said my peace.
I disagree. If an employee chooses, even with permission to take equipment home.
Then they assume full responsibility for safeguarding that equipment and should be held accountable.
Unless they can prove that they took every reasonable precaution to safeguard it.
For instance. The VA person that the laptop stolen from his home.
He knew fully well that it contained sensitive information. Did he have deadbolts ? Did he have a security system ?
If he didn't then he should not have taken it there, because his home was not a secure location.
In the case of the Commerce Department. Whoever was responsible for assigning out the laptops should be the first but not the only person held accountable.