A Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent investigates potential felonies involving firearms, explosives, arson, and alcohol and tobacco diversion. This is a really challenging career that involves a lot of mental and physical training, extensive travel, and long, irregular hours. Yet the job is also rewarding because they are one of the arms of the Department of Justice that helps keep the general public safe. (ATF Website, no date).

An interesting article about the ATF that presents a somewhat darker side of being a Special Agent was found on CNN.com. This story, “Federal agent penetrated Hells Angels, fears for his life” describes the case of Jay Dobyns, a 23-year veteran of the ATF who spent almost 2 years infiltrating the Hells Angels motorcycle gang (Arena, 2007). He gathered enough evidence to bring 16 members of the gang to justice. For his dangerous efforts, he was given awards and praise by the media and other organizations. Yet he claimed that after his role in bringing those people to justice, one result was that the Hells Angels essentially put his name on a hit list.  After his assignment ended, he was transferred to a regular posting, but though he requested special protection for him and his family, he was not granted that by the ATF for “cost-cutting reasons” (Ibid.).  There are now accusations (and lawsuits) by current and former Special Agents with undercover assignments who claim that the ATF does not properly protect its agents after they have risked life and limb on dangerous assignments.

One professional organization that supports ATF Special Agents is the ATF Association (ATFA).  According to their website, the purpose of the association is “to bring together former and current ATF colleagues for fellowship and friendship, assist with post-ATF career planning and development, and to provide support in a time of need” (ATFA website, 2009). This association costs only $50/year for dues, and members receive a monthly newsletter. It is relatively new as professional organizations go, having been founded in 2007.

Because an ATF Special Agent is a federal agent rather than state or local, he or she does not enforce state laws. Instead of state laws, ATF Special Agents enforce federal laws.  The ATF website offers links to various ATF laws, regulations, regulatory documents, rulings, and the Department of Justice’s unified agendas. That website is http://www.atf.gov/regulations-rulings/  In particular, these are federal laws and regulations that pertain to guns, firearms, the export of firearms, and explosive materials.  They also include regulations pertaining to contraband cigarette trafficking, and liquor provisions of the Interstate Transport in Aid of Racketeering act. In terms of regulations, the website explains that “ATF regulations are published as Title 27, Chapter II, Code of Federal Regulations.” (From  http://www.atf.gov/regulations-rulings/) Links to current regulations are provided on the website also.

The most critical source of information about the ATF is, in fact, the ATF itself, http://www.atf.gov/ This website has a comprehensive set of resources that address not only career issues, but also information about all aspects of the ATF, including statistics, an ATF “10 Most Wanted” and a collection of fascinating information about explosives, liquor and tobacco diversion issues, and firearms issues. In addition, the overall ATF “Strategic Plan” is available for download at this site (http://www.atf.gov/publications/download/sp/2010-2016/2010-2016-strategic-plan-complete.pdf); this offers specific information about the overall mission and direction of the ATF.  All this information gives a prospective Special Agent an understanding of how the bureau pursues its goals of enforcing the federal laws on alcohol, firearms, tobacco, and explosives.