Office of Security Policy

Mission and Functions

The Office of Security Policy develops and promulgates safeguards and security policy governing the protection of National Security and other critical assets entrusted to the Department and manages foreign national visits and assignments policy and Departmental determinations of foreign ownership, control, or influence.

Director's Perspective

Welcome to the Office of Security Policy

Jack Cowden, Director

The Office of Security Policy supports the protection of Departmental assets through the development of Departmental Safeguards and Security policies that govern protection of DOE nuclear facilities, nuclear weapons components, special nuclear materials, and classified information. Our Office is comprised of a group of highly skilled security professionals, both Federal and contractor, who are dedicated to performing their duties in a manner that is both thorough and accurate while being ever mindful of their security policy development responsibilities.

We develop security policy through an interactive process that involves all affected stakeholders, lessons-learned, and national requirements to ensure that our security directives counter our most determined advisories' nefarious goals. Our five broad functional areas that address various protection strategies are: Program Planning and Management; Physical Security; Protective Force; Information Security and Material Control and Accountability (MC&A).

Recently, we began an initiative to create and host Safeguards and Security Policy Panels. This effort will aid in the identification of policy issues, provide valuable feedback, and increase the overall effectiveness of the S&S policy development process. Panels include: Program Planning and Management; Physical Security; Protective Force; Information Security; Security Awareness; Material Control and Accountability (MC&A); and Safety and Security. Our HS-51 web page contains additional Policy Panel information.

We are very proud of our Departmental security policy development mission and value our contribution to this Department and our efforts to improve our national security initiatives.