Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Accomplishments in the last 10 Years
Educational Requirements of ATF
Benefits of Being an ATF Agent
Conclusion
References

Introduction

The United States has various agencies which are taxed with ensuring the protection of its citizens as well as preventing illegal activities. One such agency is the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) which is part of the U.S. Department of Justice under the Homeland Security Act (ATF Online). The mission of this agency is to protect the U.S. from the illegal use of firearms and explosives as well as the trafficking of tobacco and alcohol products. This agency acts as a law-enforcement entity with unique enforcement skills which can be used to independently investigate and stop crimes or in collaboration with other law enforcers. As such, ATF works “directly and in cooperation with other agencies to suppress and prevent crime and violence” (Shappard and Bilchik 75).

Through its many agents who have vast experience and varying expertise in many areas, the ATF plays a significant role in crime prevention as well as mitigating violence in the U.S. This paper shall set out to highlight the most significant accomplishment of the ATF in the last 10 years so as to articulate the importance of this agency to our country. The paper shall also discuss the educational requirements that the ATF requires of its Agents. A look at the benefits which one can accrue from being an ATF agent will also be discussed.

Accomplishments in the last 10 Years

The AFT has had numerous successes in fulfilling its mission which is to “prevent terrorism, reduce violent crime and protect the public” (U.S. DOJ 1). A significant accomplishment by the AFT has been the disruption of the smuggling of firearms. This has been made possible through Project Gunrunner which was set up especially to “disrupt the illegal flow of firearms across the US-Mexican border and curb the associated violence perpetrated on both sides of the border by Mexican drug traffickers” (ATF Press Release). Project Gunrunner dedicates an additional number of special agents as well as intelligence research specialists to the investigation of arms smuggling into Mexico. The disruption that Project Gunrunner causes are of great significance since gun smuggling across the US-Mexican border has been a problem that has haunted the US for many years. These firearms are used to arm drug cartels that are responsible for the smuggling of drugs into the US. A press release by the ATF reveals that in December 2008, the AFT successfully apprehended individuals who were part of a firearms smuggling syndicate responsible for supplying the Sinaloan drug cartel with automatic weapons. The efforts of the ATP have therefore been responsible for dismantling the network which this illegal trafficker use, the number of guns smuggled has been reduced significantly.

The U.S. Department of Justice reveals that since 2000, organized criminal groups have become active in the diversion of tobacco products, using the profits obtained from these schemes to further their criminal activities (1). The reason why there has been prevalence in this illegal activity is that diversion of tobacco is a relatively low-risk criminal activity for the gangs involved. In addition to this, the monetary benefits accrued from diversion are immense. To counter this, the ATF has developed large-scale undercover operations which are aimed at investigating this crime. By the year 2008, the ATF through its Alcohol and Tobacco Diversion Program was responsible for the seizures valued at $26,680,976 from tobacco diversion cases (U.S. Department of Justice 16). This represented an over 400% increase in seizures from the year 2004 which were valued at $6 Million.

Considering the fact that the money obtained from the illegal diversion of alcohol and tobacco products acts as potential funding for criminal and terrorist enterprises, stopping this illegal diversion is paramount for national security. Investigations by the ATF revealed that money obtained from illegal diversions was been siphoned off to help fund terrorist groups such as Hezbollah (Horwitz 1). As such, illegal diversions not only result in the Federal and State governments losing revenue but also results in groups that are engaged in terrorism activities sometimes against U.S. interests being funded and therefore strengthened. In 2008, ATF was responsible for stopping a smuggling ring that was linked to a Korean organized crime group. These Efforts by the ATF also resulted in the stopping of crimes that were financed by this diversion. The U.S. Department of Justice also reported that the Korean-linked gang was responsible for other crimes including; identity theft, counterfeit goods, and money laundering (18).

Violent crime remains to be a troubling issue that many states in our country face. This compounded with the ease of gun availability has made many cities unsafe for their residents. The ATF has in the past played a crucial role in mitigating this problem, therefore, making the U.S. a safer place. As a partner in the President’s Project Safe Neighborhoods which was started in 2001, the AFT has played a role in reducing the number of homicides and other crimes committed with firearms (Krouse 9). As a result of the ATF input, gang-related investigations have increased from 403 in the year 2000 to over 4000 in 2007. Some of these investigations have resulted in the conviction and subsequent sentencing of the suspects. This has had the overall effect of reducing the rate of crime in our cities as the violent perpetrators are put behind bars.

In the U.S. all guns are supposed to be licensed for identification through federal firearms licensees. By having all the guns licensed, it is easy for law enforcers to trace guns to their original owner in case they are used to committing a violent crime or in case the gun is reported lost. The success of this registration depends on the federal firearms licensees keeping a record of all guns sold. However, this is not always the case and there have been incidents where corrupt federal firearms licensees have doled firearms without keeping the record at higher prices (Chu and Krouse 2). This has resulted in many drug trafficking organizations from Mexico coming to the U.S. to purchase guns from such dealers. Investigations by the ATF have resulted in the detection of illegal off-the-book transactions between gun dealers and persons in the general public. In the past few years, the ATF has increased efforts to monitor federal firearms licensees so as to ensure their compliance with U.S. gun laws, therefore, preventing diversion of firearms to illegal channels (Chu and Krouse 13).

Since being elected president of Mexico in 2006, President Felipe Calderon has made it a priority for his government to tackle the drug cartels which had until then operated with impunity through some regions of Mexico. This government move resulted in retaliation in kind by the drug cartels which are keen on maintaining their influence. The U.S. Department of Justice assets that the greatest organized crime and drug trafficking threat that the U.S. faces is from Mexican drug cartels. Drugs such as cocaine, marijuana, and heroine find their way into the U.S. through the U.S. Mexican border. As such, assisting the Mexican government to combat the drug cartels is a major objective of the U.S. government. To this end, the ATF has played a major role since it is a well-known fact that drug cartels buy most of their high-powered weapons from the U.S. The ATF has with success ran traces of firearms recovered by Mexican authorities so as to determine their origins and help in putting controls to prevent illegal trafficking of guns into Mexico (Chu and Krouse 18). As a result of these traces, many homicide and gun trafficking cases were solved.

In post 9/11 America, terror and terrorist attacks have gained prominence on a previously unprecedented scale. The fear of home-based attacks has especially risen and this has resulted in the government taking steps to mitigate the occurrence of such attacks. The ATF is recognized for its expertise in responding to arson and explosive incidents as a result of its immense knowledge on the subjects. For these reasons, this agency has been at the forefront in mitigating terrorism activities within the U.S. Krouse states that ATF closely monitors the U.S. explosives industry and undertakes investigations of explosive thefts and losses (17). In addition to this, the ATF has conducted thousands of background checks for licensees to prevent prohibited persons from acquiring explosives and possibly building bombs and causing damage as was the case with the Oklahoma City bomber in 1998. The AFT has significantly increased its compliance inspections from 2600 cases in 2008 to about 4000 in 2009. With such efforts in place, the ATF is in effect reducing the chances of a terrorist attack being perpetrated in America by the use of explosives bought from the country.

Disasters are a reality in our existence and while some can be avoided, some are inevitable. How we go about managing a disaster situation greatly determines the extent of the damage done. When dealing with disasters of a natural or manmade kind, the various personnel involved have to effectively communicate and coordinate their operations so as to contain the situation. Due to the heightened levels of psychological pressure, anxiety, and strain on resources, the normal forms of organization and communication may prove to be inadequate. The ATF has in the past 10 years been responsible for “planning and coordinating the national, state and local level in preparation for emergencies” (ATF Press Release). In particular, the ATF was responsible for providing safety and security for rescue staff during the 2007 California wildfires as well as the devastating Hurricanes in 2007. While the role of ATF in these disasters was mostly limited to supporting the other agencies and organizations which dealt first hand with the victims of the disasters, the role of ATF was immeasurable in ensuring that the rescue operations were successful.

Educational Requirements of ATF

The AFT employs individuals who have varying educational specialties since the agency needs the expertise of people from various fields. In particular, the AFT employs industry operations investigators and according to the ATF recruitment office, these investigators are the backbone of ATF operations. For one to be employed by the ATF, there are certain requirements that one must meet. At the very basic level, one must be a U.S. citizen capable of handling the physical requirements that the job demands.. The ATF also requires its employees to meet certain educational requirements. These educational requirements are a factor of the particular grade level for which one intends to work at the ATF.

The lowest grade that the ATF has is Grade 5 and at this level, the AFT requires a person to have fulfilled a 4-year course of study. This course should have resulted in a bachelor’s degree in a necessary area of study. The ATF also requires that the education be obtained from an accredited college or university and as such, the applicant should be able to have proof of this through certification from the educational institute.

At the second level which is grade 7, the AFT has a number of additional educational requirements. A person must have fulfilled a 4-year course of study from an accredited educational institute. In addition to this, the candidate must have completed a one-year higher-level graduate education also from an accredited institution. The fields of study that one has taken a graduate degree for should be related to AFT operations such as; criminal justice, political science, public policy among others (ATF 1).

The AFT also has a grade 9 which has even higher educational requirements than the two previous grades. To begin with, one must have an undergraduate degree from an accredited university or college. The individual must also have successfully completed a master’s degree in a relevant field from an accredited institution. The ATF recruitment office stipulates that this Masters’s degree must provide the individual with the knowledge, skills, and abilities that are required for one to perform their duties as industry operations investigators.

Benefits of Being an ATF Agent

While working as an ATF agent is taxing, there are numerous benefits to be accrued from being an agent. As with other government employment opportunities, the ATF agent gets an annual leave which can extend for up to 26 days every year. In addition to these paid-for leaves, an ATF agent has the opportunity to go for up to 10 fully paid holidays in the course of his career. The agent is also entitled to sick leave which can extend up to the time when the ailing agent is back to good health.

The U.S. health care system is deemed by many to be faulty and the insurance schemes currently in place have made the United States the country with the most expensive health care system anywhere in the world. The ATF ensures that its agents have access to low-cost health insurance with a variety of plans being made available to the agent. This ensures that the ATF agent has adequate health cover. In addition to this, the ATF offers various health improvement programs for its agents since the health of an individual has some bearing on his performance and productivity.

Without a doubt, some of the activities in which the ATF agent will be required to carry out will harbor some risk. This is especially so since some ATF field agents are exposed to gang members and smugglers who may be in possession of weapons with which they can injure or even kill the ATF agent. In recognition of this, ATF ensures that its agents have access to low-cost life insurance. With such a scheme in place, ATF agents can carry out their duties with relative peace of mind since they know that they are insured.

All employees are concerned as to their welfare when they retire from active employment. ATF ensures that its agent’s future is secure through the Federal Employee Retirement Systems Benefits. With this system, an agent will be entitled to pensions once he/she has retired from active duty in the ATF. Another retirement savings plan offered to ATF agents is the “Tax-deferred Thrift Savings Plan” which ensures that money saved by the ATF agent is exempt from tax. With this scheme, the ATF agent can make savings for his/her retirements with the account not being taxed until when he/she wants to withdraw it which is at retirement.

Conclusion

This paper set out to discuss the accomplishments of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives as well as the educational requirements for one to join this agency. To this end, the paper has outlined some of the major accomplishments of the ATF most notably of which are the reduction in gun trafficking into Mexico in the Texan border as well as the curbing of cigarette diversion. From the discussions presented herein, it is evident that the ATF plays a very critical role in not only maintaining the protection of U.S. citizens but also ensuring that the Federal and State governments are not defrauded by the illegal trade in Tobacco and Alcohol. This paper has also highlighted the educational requirements that ATF demands of its employees. The numerous benefits that the agency offers to its agents have been outlined therefore proving that ATF is not only concerned with the welfare of the nation but the wellbeing of its agents as well.

References

AFT Press Release. Statement of Kenneth E. Melson, Deputy Director Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives before the house committee on appropriations subcommittee on commerce, justice, science and related agencies. 2010. Web.

ATF Recruitment. Industrial Operations Investigator Informational Packet. 2010. Web.

Chu, Vivian and Krouse, William. Gun Trafficking and the Southwest Border. CRS, 2009.

Horwitz, Sari. Cigarette Smuggling Linked to Terrorism. U.S. Department of Justice, 2004.

Krouse, William. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF): Budget and Operations for FY2010. Congressional Research Service, 2010.

Sheppard, David and Bilchik, Shay. Promising strategies to reduce gun violence report. Diane Publishing, 2007.

U.S. Department of Justice. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ Efforts to Prevent the Diversion of Tobacco. 2009. Web.

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