She said department investigators working on the city case would probably be assigned to the special counsel's staff.

The order is dated Jan. 16 and warns that department investigators are acting with the full authority of his office.

Nor is it certain how deeply department investigators can legally dig into a company's affairs.

The officers have since been interviewed by department investigators.

Police and corrections department investigators were questioning all the prisoners.

But department investigators and company employees said the issues raised in the memos required a quicker response.

By late yesterday, department investigators had questioned well over 100 officers, mostly supervisors, a senior investigator said.

If department investigators determine the complaint is warranted, he said, they will then offer the contractor an opportunity to settle with the homeowner.

Colonel North has told Congress that he shredded documents as department investigators looked through files only a few feet away.

The agency's announcement came a week after department investigators questioned poor supervision and delays between diagnosis and surgery, among other things.