ATF and FBI Turf War FBI director says turf problems with ATF linger but are we surprised. It is natural that powerful men don't want to surrender power to others. Sometimes it is a matter of ego, sometimes a real distrust of the other person or organization.

FBI Director Robert Mueller conceded to Congress Wednesday that turf fights persist between his agents and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Mueller was asked at a Senate hearing about a report by The Associated Press on Tuesday that government investigators had found persistent feuding between the two law enforcement agencies, despite repeated efforts by the Justice Department to settle the conflict.

A draft report by the Justice Department's Office of Inspector General, an internal watchdog, found the conflicts have led agents to race each other to crime scenes, withhold information from each other and refuse to train together.

The disturbing thing about this is that it can impede our counter-terrorist operations. The good thing is that it might impede persecution of otherwise lawful gun owners.

• In December 2008 the FBI protested a local prosecutor's request to use the ATF to investigate a blast that killed a local bomb technician in Woodburn, Ore.

• In March 2008 both agencies responded to a bombing near a U.S. military recruiting station in Times Square. ATF sought to have the suspect charged immediately in what the inspector general called a "race to the courthouse" to take the case from the FBI, which was already pursuing the suspect in a different state.

• In November 2007 the FBI was notified of a pipe bomb found in a truck at the Palo Verde nuclear plant in Arizona and claimed jurisdiction as a terrorism case. Notified several hours later, ATF disputed any connection to terrorism in a confrontation in front of local law enforcement officials.

I wonder if they are smart enough to realize that they need new hires in the mid-level management positions. As is always true, you need smart, dedicated, leaders who exhibit tact and can lead through example. My bet is that seniority will be the major determinate factor in selection for these positions.

Labels: Culture

  ¶ posted by Hobie 8:00 AM