Almost 300 firearms -- handguns, M-4 rifles and shotguns -- were lost by various DHS agencies during fiscal 2006-08, according to the department's inspector general. In most cases, carelessness was the culprit. The inspector general's office says "179 (74 percent) were lost because officers did not properly secure them."

Not all the blame is on the officers. The department's management and oversight of "safeguards and controls over firearms were not effective," largely because specific policies and practices were not in place, said the report released this week by Inspector General Richard L. Skinner.

Unfortunately, DHS is not alone. Previous reports by the Government Accountability Office and the Justice Department found that losing weapons is a problem in various federal law enforcement agencies. In fact, DHS had fewer losses than some other agencies.

But that's little comfort. So is the fact that the 289 missing DHS guns are a tiny fraction of the nearly 190,000 it had in its inventory as of July. The problem is still significant.

The missing arms "pose serious risks to civilians and non-civilians alike," said the study, which was reported in USA Today. "Local law enforcement organizations recovered 15 DHS firearms from felons, gang members, criminals, drug users, and teenagers."

One recovered government gun even had a gang symbol etched into the barrel. Another was found with a drug dealer during a search, and someone with cocaine had a third DHS weapon.

Too much of this is because of sloppiness by those we expect to protect and serve us. Consider these examples from the report:

-- "A CBP [Customs and Border Protection] officer left a firearm unsecured in an idling vehicle in the parking lot of a convenience store. The vehicle and firearm were stolen while the officer was inside the store. A local law enforcement officer later recovered the firearm from a suspected gang member and drug smuggler.

-- A CBP officer left a firearm on a toolbox in the bed of a truck, and the firearm fell off when the officer drove home. Law enforcement officials later recovered the firearm from an individual who resisted arrest and assaulted the arresting officer.

-- An ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] officer left an M-4 rifle and a shotgun unsecured in a closet in his home; subsequently, both firearms were stolen during a burglary. State and federal law enforcement officers later recovered these firearms from a felon.

-- An ICE officer left a firearm on the bumper of a vehicle, which fell off as the officer left his place of employment. A civilian found the firearm and turned it over to the local police.

-- Other CBP and ICE officers left firearms in places such as a fast food restaurant parking lot, a bowling alley and a clothing store. . . .

-- A TSA [Transportation Security Administration] officer left a firearm in a lunch box on the front seat of an unlocked vehicle; the officer realized the firearm was stolen when he returned to the vehicle two days later."

Jon Adler, president of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, was dismayed at the findings, which he called "unacceptable." He said that officers must secure their firearms properly and that better training and supervision may be needed.

"We can't have guys losing their firearms," he said. "That's the instrument we rely on to protect Americans and carry out our mission. We can't carry out our mission if we leave our firearms under our pillow."

ICE and CBP, two agencies within the department, have already taken specific actions to better secure their weapons, according to DHS. Among other moves, ICE attempts to promote firearms security by reinforcing with officers appropriate storage requirements and through quarterly qualifications training. CBP has developed an annual presentation on the proper methods for safeguarding and controlling firearms.

"DHS is strongly committed to ensuring that weapons utilized in support of its law enforcement mission are kept secure," said Amy Kudwa, a DHS spokeswoman. "We took immediate action to correct the deficiencies identified in this audit and to improve our overall management of firearms."

She said the department is implementing new policies "requiring weapons to be properly stored, annual firearms security awareness training for all personnel issued firearms, and accountability and requirements for investigation when individuals fail to follow procedures."

And not a minute too soon.

A link to the report on missing DHS firearms is with this column at washingtonpost.com/fedpage