WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A report by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's inspector general has found no evidence that misconduct or inappropriate behavior is widespread in the U.S. Secret Service, a Secret Service official said on Friday.
The report was called for in the wake of a prostitution scandal involving Secret Service agents in Cartagena, Colombia, that damaged the agency's straight-laced reputation.
"The Secret Service takes allegations of misconduct seriously and as this DHS/OIG report makes clear, the agency takes appropriate action when misconduct is identified," the official said
The inspector general also concluded that there is no evidence that Secret Service employees regularly conduct themselves in ways that could create security concerns, the official added.
The agency named a female director, Julia Pierson, in March, after the Colombia events. An official investigation concluded that the president's safety had not been compromised, but the scandal was an embarrassment for the agency, which guards the president.
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Pierson has taken a series of steps to address issues raised by the Colombia events and subsequent investigations, the agency official said.
