Military's Criminal Investigative Agencies in the USA - Term Paper Example

United s Militarys Criminal Investigative Agencies First Last Dr. TeacherFirst TeacherLast CourseNumber 22 July 2010 United States Militarys Criminal Investigative Agencies Introduction The United States (U.S.) has the strongest military force in the world and mainly comprises of the U.S. Army, Navy and the Air Force. In ensuring that theses forces continue to operate like a well oiled machine, significant focus is required to ensure discipline and quick access to justice within these organizations. The US Army Criminal Investigation Command, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and the Air Force Office of Special Investigations provide the foundation to reduce crimes, maintain information secrecy, ensure security, and maintain discipline in their respective parent organizations. This paper provides an overview of the history of each these agencies with a description of their mission and the way this mission is carried out. US Army Criminal Investigation Command History Even though the US Army Criminal Investigation Command (CID) was formally established as a command in the Army in 1971, its roots can be traced to events much earlier. In as early as 1775, the Soldiers of the Continental Army received training on the Prussian model to inculcate discipline as a formal fighting force. During the Civil War, desertions and riots against conscription laws necessitated policing, investigation, and enforcement of laws. As a result, the office of Provost Marshal General’s Bureau was established in 1863 for this purpose. This office was sufficient till the First World War when, in 1917, the Military Police Corps was established, with an additional criminal investigation responsibility assigned later in 1918 by General Pershing. The prime role of this Criminal Investigation Division was to investigate and prevent crimes in the large American Expeditionary Forces in France and elsewhere. Operationally, the force was under the control of individual provost marshals. Despite lack of training and experience, the model was a reasonable success. A short period of stagnation occurred till the Second World War as the US Army was reduced considerably in size as a peacetime force. However, during the Second World War the US Army expanded to millions and the need was to have a unified command in CID work that would help to overcome coordination, training, and staff capacity issues. This was a turning point in CID’s history and in 1944 responsibility for full supervision was officially given to the Provost Marshal General. It was in 1965 that the move to CID’s current shape was taken. To ensure efficiency and coordinated worldwide response, consolidation to a centralized structure began with CID units being grouped at regional levels. Continuing the evolution, the US Army Criminal Investigation Agency with advisory role was established under the Provost Marshal General. Finally, in September, 1971, CID was instituted with full “command and control of all Army criminal investigation activities” (“CID History”). Mission The CID’s work can be broadly specified as conducting criminal investigation in all situations where the Army is involved in any way. Being the central investigating organization of the U.S. Army, CID coordinates with local, state, and other peer federal agencies in the course of its work. The traditional role of CID covers a wide spectrum of investigations including death, fraud, computer crimes, forensics, and other areas typically associated with investigation agencies. CID is staffed by highly qualified Special Agents and personnel and units in supporting areas. During wartime or contingencies, the role is expanded to include provision of security, assistance to local national forces in developing their policing systems, criminal intelligence, war crimes, anti-terrorism operations, and crimes against U.S. coalition partners and host nation forces. The CID website lists its primary mission as follows: “Investigate serious crime Conduct sensitive/serious investigation Collect.analyze, and disseminate criminal intelligence Conduct protective service operations Provide forensic laboratory support Maintain Army criminal records” (“Mission”). Naval Criminal Investigative Service History The current Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) has been shaped through history by evolving from the Office of Naval Intelligence, the former Naval Investigative Service, and the Marine Corps Criminal Investigative Division. The organization has grown in size and responsibility over the last century with major milestones in its evolution and growth occurred during the two World Wars, the Cold War, and terrorism events since the latter half the 20th century. In contrast with Army’s CID, the history of NCIS has its earliest roots in intelligence operations rather than criminal investigative work. NCIS is a successor of the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) that was established in 1882. The initial role of information collection on foreign navies, charting, and surveys of foreign installations was expanded prior to the First World War to include espionage and sabotage (“History”). By the Second World War, ONI was tasked to counter intelligence operations to uncover all threats to U.S. Navy. A major expansion took place during the Cold War beginning with an increased number of civilian agents in the Korean War in 1950. In 1966, these special operations were differentiated from overall ONI operations by adopting the name Naval Investigative Services (NIS). In the early 1970s, focus was emphasized on criminal investigative services and counter intelligence by taking away some non core activities from NIS. Integration with other arms began around the same time and the Special Agent Afloat program of today was initiated. An upgrade in 1982 for NIS allowed the organization to have its own budget and change in command structure to report directly to the Chief of Naval Operations. Additionally, responsibilities of law enforcement within navy, personnel security, and physical security were assigned to NIS. U.S. Navy responded to terrorism activities beginning in the early 1980’s against U.S. interests by instituting the Anti-terrorist Alert Center (ATAC) under NIS control. ATAC was a 24 hour operation to alert the Navy and Marine Corps on intelligence about potential terrorist attacks. ATAC has recently been upgraded to Multiple Threat Alert Center (MTAC) under the present form of NCIS. In 1992, the NIS was restructured and rename as NCIS. Responsibilities by this time included personnel and information security clearance, and adjudication. In recent years, the NCIS and Marine Corps Criminal Investigation Division have been integrated. NCIS has personnel in 17 field offices managing operations in over 140 countries today. Mission NCIS has a mission to “to prevent and solve crimes that threaten the war fighting capability of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps” (“NCIS’ Mission”). In pursuing its mission, NCIS follows a three pronged approach by reducing crime, protecting secrets, and preventing terrorism. As U.S. Navy’s main arm to enforce law, NCIS conducts investigations in various areas that fall under the domain of felonies. The focus is grouped into areas of Felony Criminal Investigations, Law Enforcement, and Investigative Support (“NCIS’ Mission: Reduce Crime”). These groups include a wide range of crimes including related to narcotics, procurements, family and sexual violence, and property. An important function of NCIS is its counter intelligence operation. According to NCIS (“NCIS’ Mission: Protect Secrets”), the age of globalization has increased threats where foreign forces seek U.S. military secrets and attempt to sabotage U.S. interests. NCIS has the exclusive jurisdiction to counter such espionage and subversion attempts. These attempts include terrorist activities. In pursing its mission, NCIS relies on its Systems and Technology Protection Program, NCIS Technical Surveillance Countermeasures teams, and the Central Adjudication Facility. In exclusive focus on preventing terrorism, NCIS relies on its Combating Terrorism Directorate. The operations are directed both at detection and disruption of potential terrorist activity against U.S. Navy interests. Air Force Office of Special Investigations History The Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) was established in 1948. This came as a result of a suggestion by Congress to the U.S. Air Force to integrate its various investigative units into one consolidated force (“Factsheets: Air Force Office of Special Investigations”). In its formative years, the organization was led by Steve Carroll, who was previously an assistant the FBI director, J. Edgar Hoover. This helped the organization’s structure and operations to be designed similar to that FBI. The role of AFOSI since the beginning was to keep Air Force commanders informed of any internal or external threats to Air Force interests. Over the years, the function evolved corresponding to the changing threats around the world. During the Cold War, the role of AFOSI, like the other agencies, was relatively more clearly defined as countering the threats posed by Soviets. However, in the 1970’s, terrorism became an emerging threat that needed to be countered when the Shah of Iran’s popularity plunged and U.S. interests became potential targets of terrorism. As a response, the counter intelligence AFOSI agents placed in Iran developed an anti terrorism plan that laid the foundation for today’s anti terrorism operations (Williamson, 2005, pp. 23-24). Mission The mission of AFOSI is to provide “professional investigative service to commanders of all Air Force activities” ((“Factsheets: Air Force Office of Special Investigations”). AFOSI’s major activity, like that U.S. Army’s CID, is investigation of felony crimes. The list of crimes falling in this domain is also similar to those of other agencies and includes murder, sexual and family violence, economic crimes, narcotics, and crimes and fraud related to procurement. Similar to NCIS’ role for the U.S. Navy, AFOSI has a focus on counter intelligence and performs detection and disruption of threats to U.S. Air Force. AFOSI is also tasked to protect personnel, technology, information, secrets, and cyber crimes. Conclusion The three agencies discussed in this paper have similar functions with some variations such as the NCIS having a greater focus on counter intelligence. The most important aspect about these agencies is that they have evolved over time to respond to newer threats to the U.S. as they emerge. This shows the responsive nature in the organization and instills the confidence that they are capable to respond to and counter new threats in the 21st century. References CID history. (2010, July 16). Retrieved July 20, 2010, from http://www.cid.army.mil/history.html Factsheets: Air Force Office of Special Investigations. (2010, April 29). Retrieved July 22, 2010, from http://www.osi.andrews.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=4848 History. Retrieved July 21, 2010, from http://www.ncis.navy.mil/about/history.asp Mission. (2010, July 16). Retrieved July 20, 2010, from http://www.cid.army.mil/mission.html NCIS’ Mission. Retrieved July 21, 2010, from http://www.ncis.navy.mil/mission.asp NCIS’ Mission: Protect Secrets. Retrieved July 21, 2010, from http://www.ncis.navy.mil/mission/secrets.asp NCIS’ Mission: Reduce Crime. Retrieved July 21, 2010, from http://www.ncis.navy.mil/mission/crime.asp Williamson, C.E. (2005). Air force office of special investigations: postured for the future. Air & Space Power Journal, 19(2). Read More