(CNN) An inspector general report faulted former Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin with violating ethical rules by allowing security agents to drive his wife around, and also found larger long-standing ethical and management flaws in the department's security program.

The report concluded Shulkin "violated ethical regulations by permitting his VA employee driver to use a personal vehicle and personal time to provide transportation services to the Secretary's wife."

The inspector general cleared Shulkin of allegations he had abused his authority by having agents protect him when not on government business, because he relied on advice from department staffers and "no one raised any concern that his use was inappropriate."

But the inspector general found that the security force responsible for protecting the secretary and deputy secretary has for years operated without clear policies, which has created security vulnerabilities. Salary and travel for the 13-member team have cost upward of $2 million in recent years, the report stated.

"The OIG concluded that VA's executive protection services are governed by entrenched informal practices without due regard to principles of executive protection, such as calibrating the security provided in response to a well-conceived threat assessment," the report said.

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