We asked. They answered.

The Office of Inspector General is the law enforcement arm of the U.S. Department of Education and is responsible for the detection of waste, fraud, abuse, and other criminal activity involving Federal education funds, programs, and operations. As such, OIG operates with full statutory law enforcement authority, which includes conducting search warrants, making arrests, and carrying firearms. The acquisition of these firearms is necessary to replace older and mechanically malfunctioning firearms, and in compliance with Federal procurement requirements. For more information on OIG’s law enforcement authority, please visit our Web site at: www.ed.gov/oig. The information is available on the front page of our site.

Thank you again for your inquiry.

Catherine Grant
Public Affairs Liaison
U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General

So then we asked again: which guns, what malfunctions?