2. Office of Science and Technology
ATF: Over 200 Years of History
• 1791: Alexander Hamilton and alcohol taxation (Department of the Treasury)
• 1794: Whiskey Rebellion
• 1886: First laboratory report issued
• 1920-1933: Prohibition
– Workforce diversity
– 1930-1933: Bureau of Prohibition in Department of Justice
• 1934: Return to Treasury (Alcohol Tax Unit); National Firearms Act
• 1941: Firearms jurisdiction
• 1952: Jurisdiction for alcohol, tobacco, firearms
• 1968: Gun Control Act
• 1969: First firearm traced
• 1972: ATF established
• 1982: Anti-Arson Act
• 2003: ATF(E) returns to Department of Justice;
Alcohol & Tobacco Tax & Trade Bureau (TTB) remains in Treasury
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3. Office of Science and Technology
ATF: Our Mission and Services
Law Enforcement Operations:
Violent Crime (“Frontline”)
Public Safety Services
Firearms •
•
•
•
Emergency Support Function (ESF) #13
Firearms and Explosives Licensing and Other
Industry Services
Firearms Tracing
National Integrated Ballistics Information
Network (NIBIN)
• National Center for Explosives Training and
Arson & Explosives Research (NCETR)
• United States Bomb Data Center
• Terrorist Explosives Device Analytical Center
(TEDAC)
Alcohol & Tobacco • ATF Laboratories
• Financial Investigations
• Collaboration and Partnerships
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4. Office of Science and Technology
ATF Strategic Plan: Priorities
Reduce violent firearms crimes by strengthening firearms trafficking intelligence
gathering, analysis, inspection, and investigative activity
Make our communities safer by expanding our efforts to identify, target, and dismantle
those criminal gangs and organizations that utilize firearms, arson, and explosives in
furtherance of violent criminal activity
Advance domestic and international explosives expertise to prevent, detect, and
investigate acts of violent crime and terrorism and to enhance public safety
Advance the science of fire investigation globally, by setting and delivering the highest
standards in response, research, information sharing and training
Modernize business processes and systems for improved information sharing,
knowledge management, and use of innovative technologies to support ATF’s critical
mission
Attract, develop, and retain an expert workforce to execute the ATF mission in the
emerging business environment
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5. Office of Science and Technology
Organizational Snapshot
(round numbers)
Personnel Resources ($M)
$23
1,650 $240
2,450
$890
800
Special Agents Firearms
Industry Operations Investigators Arson and Explosives
Other Professional Staff Alcohol and Tobacco
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6. Office of Science and Technology
ATF Organization
Chief Counsel Director Chief of Staff
Deputy Director/
Chief Operating Officer
Assistant Director Assistant Director Assistant Director
Enforcement Programs Assistant Director Human Resources and
Professional Science and Technology /
and Services Field Operations
Development Chief Information Officer
Assistant Director Assistant Director
Assistant Director Assistant Director
Office of Strategic Office of Professional
Public and Governmental Management / Chief
Intelligence Responsibility and
Affairs Financial Officer
and Information Security Operations
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7. Office of Science and Technology
ATF Field Operations:
25 Field Divisions, 250+ locations, 7 countries
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8. Office of Science and Technology
Some Critical ATF IT Initiatives:
Supporting Unique National Services…
eTrace
Today eForms / Firearms Information System Modernization (FISM)
Enterprise Standard Architecture (ESA) III ESA IV
Improved Firearms Trace Information Sharing
Optimization of Enterprise Mobility
Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS)
Digital Evidence Collection System (DECS)
Fire and Explosives Research Modernization
Ballistics Imaging Modernization … “eFirearms”
Intelligence Driven Policing Initiative (IDPI)
Future Next Generation Case Management (NGCM)
…in an environment of constrained resources
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9. Office of Science and Technology
From an IT Perspective…
Our Priorities
Support our mobile Integrate and expose Refine and advance
workforce our mission data our infrastructure
Providing the right set of tools Reengineering legacy Exploring new models to
and capabilities systems and data to achieve maximize efficiency
a service-oriented
environment
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