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1 1 (December 28, 2022)

handle is hein.crs/govejze0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Congressional Research Service Inforrning the legislitive debate since 1914 Updated December 28, 2022 Department of the Interior (DOI) Law Enforcement Programs Overview The Department of the Interior (DOI) employs law enforcement officers (LEOs) for a variety of purposes, and law enforcement on lands administered by DOI and its bureaus is of perennial interest to Congress. This has generally included issues related to funding, jurisdictional disputes between federal and nonfederal law enforcement agencies, use of body cameras, and more recent concerns around excessive force and police-community relations. As of December 2022, DOI employed nearly 3,400 LEOs. DOI's law enforcement contingent is the fourth largest among executive branch departments, after the Departments of Homeland Security, Justice, and Veterans Affairs. The majority of these LEOs are assigned to six organizational units within four DOI bureaus (see Figure 1). These units are the Bureau of Land Management (BLM); Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's (FWS's) Office of Law Enforcement (OLE) and Division of Refuge Law Enforcement (REF); National Park Service (NPS); and U.S. Park Police (USPP) within NPS. A seventh unit in the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) was dissolved in 2017. In addition, several DOI offices and programs employ LEOs for a variety of duties. Figure 1. Total DOI Law Enforcement Figures (as of December 2022) Total LEO Employment: 3,391 1500 1,372 1000 I , 524 520 BEM BWA BOR OL E R EF N PS USPP Ot her Source: Totals provided to CRS on December 2022, by DOI. Notes: BLM = Bureau of Land Management; BIA = Bureau of Indian Affairs; BOR = Bureau of Reclamation; OLE = U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Office of Law Enforcement; REF = U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Division of Refuge Law Enforcement; NPS = National Park Service; USPP = U.S. Park Police. Other reflects law enforcement officer employment figures for the Office of the Secretary, the Office of Law Enforcement and Security, the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, and the Office of Aviation Services. All totals reflect on- board employment figures, which calculate the number of employees in pay status at the end of the quarter. Data for on-board employment provide employee head count in most departments and agencies as of a particular date, including full-time, part-time, and seasonal employees. DOI defines law enforcement officer as a person who has entered the Federal service through established selection criteria, has received professional training according to published standards and has been commissioned or sworn to perform law enforcement duties (DOI Departmental Manual Part 446 Ch. 1). Generally, LEOs include employees who are authorized to carry firearms, execute and serve warrants, search for and seize evidence, make arrests, and perform such duties as authorized by law. The category broadly includes uniformed police officers, investigative agents, correctional officers, and various other positions within DOI. Since 2001, DOI's Office of Law Enforcement and Security (OLES) has provided direction, oversight, and coordination across DOI's various law enforcement units (Secretarial Order No. 3234, Enhanced Coordination of Department of the Interior Law Enforcement and Security). The specific duties of DOI LEOs can vary considerably based on the type (e.g., investigative agent vs. correctional officer), seniority (supervisory vs. nonsupervisory), and geographic location of the position. For example, in the American Southwest, officers may spend considerable time dealing with unauthorized recreational off-highway vehicle users and archaeological resource crimes, whereas LEOs working in urbanized areas may be responsible for managing special events and political demonstrations, as well as performing more general law enforcement duties. The following sections provide a brief overview of DOI law enforcement units, their enforcement activities, and the authority under which they operate. The sections also briefly discuss additional law enforcement support for DOI and its bureaus. Bureau of Land Management Under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. §§1701 et seq.), the Secretary of the Interior is authorized to stand up a law enforcement body to enforce federal laws and regulations with respect to lands and resources under BLM's jurisdiction. As of December 2022, BLM employed 229 law enforcement rangers and 78 special agents for a total of 307 LEOs. BLM rangers typically are responsible for the enforcement of laws and regulations governing BLM lands and resources. Special agents typically are plainclothes criminal investigators who plan and conduct investigations concerning possible violations on BLM lands. Bureau of indian Affairs Jurisdiction over offenses or crimes committed on tribal lands may lie with federal, state, or tribal agencies, depending on the offense, the location of the offense, and whether the offender or victim is an enrolled member of a

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