Executive Summary
Law Enforcement Ethics and Fairness
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is dedicated to protecting the American people from harm, and nothing is more important to achieving that goal than the integrity of its Special Agents and other employees.
In the past five years, I have established core values for all FBI employees: obedience to the Constitution, respect for the dignity of all protected by the FBI, compassion, fairness, and total integrity.
At the same time, I have developed "Bright Line" policies to which all FBI employees must adhere. Certain conduct will not be tolerated, including lying, cheating, stealing, sexual harassment, and alcohol and drug abuse.
To oversee these important areas, I created a new and separate Office of Professional Responsibility to deal with allegations of employee misconduct and to conduct rigorous, in-depth ethics training for FBI Special Agent Trainees and others.
FBI Leadership in National Security
The FBI has placed a top priority on fighting threats to the nation's national security posed by terrorists and spies. The FBI's counter-terrorism budget more than tripled from Fiscal Year 1996 to FY 1999, enhancing our ability to combat these insidious dangers to our way of life.
The FBI's counter-terrorism programs are directed against both threats originating from abroad and at home.
In 1998, the FBI responded with hundreds of Special Agents when American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania were bombed. A number of defendants were returned to the U.S. to face charges.
Earlier, six persons were convicted in the bombing of the World Trade Center in New York City. Another major terrorist incident was prevented when a plot to bomb other New York City targets was uncovered and 14 persons were convicted.
In other cases, three persons were convicted of plotting to bomb U.S. airliners in the Far East, a man who killed two CIA employees in Virginia was arrested abroad and returned by the FBI and convicted in state court, and the investigation continued into the bombing that killed 19 U.S. servicemen in Saudi Arabia.
The worst domestic terrorist incident in U.S. history occurred in 1995 in the bombing of the Federal Building in Oklahoma City, killing 168 persons. Two men were later convicted in the case, one receiving the death penalty and the other life in prison.
One of the FBI's longest investigations--17 years--ended in 1996 with the arrest of the UNABOMBER, whose bombs killed three persons and injured 23 others. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison.
To combat such offenses, the FBI has created a Counter-Terrorism Center, where 18 federal enforcement agencies maintain a presence. In addition, a Presidential Decision Directive established the FBI as the lead federal agency for threats or incidents involving weapons of mass destruction. The National Infrastructure Protection Center is also located at the FBI.
In the espionage area, the FBI and CIA have developed close enforcement ties, leading to the arrest and conviction of two CIA officials and an FBI Special Agent on espionage charges. Other major cases involved 10 persons charged with spying for Cuba, an Army sergeant convicted of spying for the Soviet KGB, and the conviction of three persons for spying for the former East German Intelligence Service.
Under a new statute whose passage was strongly urged by the FBI, there are now new tools to combat economic espionage--a major threat from many nations since the end of the Cold War. A number of major cases have already been brought.
Tools and Resources to Support Investigations
New tools and resources provided by Congress have enabled the FBI to make significant strides against crime problems in the last five years and prepared the Bureau to enter the 21st Century. The new support from Congress includes:
The FBI has been better equipped to combat such high-priority crime problems as terrorism, organized crime, drug trafficking, new threats from abroad, health care fraud and other white collar crime, and crimes against children.
The FBI Legal Attache program has been expanded and produced significant anti-crime dividends. The Attaches are senior FBI Special Agents stationed at U.S. Embassies to work with their local counterparts against crime problems of joint concern, in the process building vital "cop-to-cop" relationships.
Another major step was the FBI's creation in 1998 of Rapid Deployment Teams made up of expert Special Agents who can be swiftly deployed when crimes involving American interests occur in other countries that are receptive to joint investigations.
The FBI Laboratory, the finest forensic facility of its type in the world, was accredited in 1998 by the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors/Laboratory Accreditation Board. The Laboratory then went on to introduce the National DNA Index System, a valuable new tool for fighting violent crime.
The Laboratory has pioneered the development of valuable new crime-fighting tools, including sophisticated DNA tests used in violent crime investigations and a computerized technology system that makes links in firearms-related evidence.
In the technology field, the FBI has excelled in creation of NCIC 2000, an invaluable tool that allows law enforcement agencies throughout the nation to quickly obtain computerized information on wanted and missing persons, fugitives, and stolen property. Another breakthrough on nation-wide information-sharing is IAFIS--an automated fingerprint identification system, which promptly checks fingerprints by computer.
Continuing to Respond to Protect Americans
The FBI enforces some 500 federal laws that touch vast numbers of Americans and the Bureau has established a wide range of priorities in the FBI's strategic plan to protect the public from harm.
One major program involves the FBI working closely with local authorities against violent street crime, including drug trafficking. Since the beginning of this Safe Streets Program, there have been nearly 160,000 arrests.
Another priority involves FBI efforts against traditional organized crime and its array of deadly crimes. Significant inroads have been made with the conviction of top La Cosa Nostra bosses and other high-level criminals, and the FBI in 1996 launched "Operation Button Down" as a five-year strategic program to impair LCN rebuilding efforts.
Crimes against children also are on the FBI's priority tier of enforcement activities. Tools include the "Innocent Images" operation targeting persons using the Internet to recruit minors into illegal sexual relationships.
One of the worst crimes in recent years was the bombing in 1996 at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta that killed one person and injured more than 120 others. Charges have been filed in the case and an intensive search is being carried out for the fugitive defendant.
The FBI has given top attention to enforcement against white collar crime and fraud that robs the government and the public. Health care fraud is a significant program component.
One of the nation's greatest tragedies in recent years occurred when TWA Flight 800 crashed into the ocean shortly after taking off from New York City, killing all 230 persons aboard. In 1997, following an intensive 16-month investigation, the FBI announced that no evidence had been found to indicate the crash was caused by a criminal act.
The FBI has a continuing commitment to the protection of the civil rights of all Americans, and, in so doing, has investigated a large number of civil rights cases. For example, it has been a full participant in the National Church Arson Task Force, which has resulted in hundreds of arrests. An FBI investigation led to federal charges against five New York City Police Officers for allegedly brutalizing a Haitian immigrant. Another FBI investigation led to federal convictions of two persons in the death of a student during a civil disorder in the Crown Heights section of New York City.
Antitrust violations are high on the FBI agenda. In one major case, Archer Daniels Midland Company pleaded guilty to price fixing conspiracies and three ADM officials were convicted of criminal antitrust violations.
In the public corruption area, one governor was sentenced to prison for false statements and wire fraud. A former governor was indicted on racketeering, conspiracy, and other charges. In a period of a few weeks in 1998, some 80 law enforcement officers were arrested in four separate cases.
Improving Relationships
The FBI places great importance on constantly striving to improve relationships with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies in the joint fight against crime.
Cooperation has never been more essential. The FBI works with individual agencies and national organizations--including the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Sheriffs' Association, and the Major City Chiefs.
This cooperative approach magnifies the impact of law enforcement against crime and enhances the level of public safety. Many major cases handled by the FBI include other agencies, and the examples range from the bombing of the Oklahoma City Federal Building, to street gangs, to the search for the UNABOMBER.
One special effort is the close cooperation with the Drug Enforcement Administration, targeting large drug trafficking organizations and drugs at the street gang level. The FBI also works closely with other federal agencies.
The FBI provides training to a broad range of law enforcement agencies--both domestic and foreign. For example, in the five-year period from 1994 to 1998, the FBI trained nearly 700,000 law enforcement officers in a variety of courses.
Within the Justice Department, the FBI has played a key role in the Office of Investigative Agencies Policies, created by the Attorney General to improve coordination among Justice agencies. Overseas, a proposal by the FBI led to the development of the International Law Enforcement Academy in Budapest, Hungary, a major center of training for Eastern Europe. It is a joint effort by the State Department and federal agencies.
Support for Employees
The FBI places great stress on the safety and security of its employees. They are the Bureau's most important resource.
FBI Special Agents are given the best training possible and equipped with advanced firearms and state-of-the-art safety equipment. At the same time, the FBI gives a high priority to safety precautions at its facilities--both at FBI Headquarters in Washington and in its Field Offices.
Major attention is given to fairness in hiring and promotion, and the FBI has made significant strides during the past five years in increasing the number of minorities and women who serve as Special Agents.
Fairness in dealings with employees is also paramount. The FBI has expanded its program to uncover and correct instances of bias. Six special employee advisory committees meet semi-annually with Director Freeh to discuss issues of concern to their constituents.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation -- http://fbi.gov