Department of the Interior Law Enforcement Programs

Department of the Interior Law Enforcement Programs

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Updated January 8, 2024
Department of the Interior Law Enforcement Programs
Overview
DOI defines law enforcement officer as a “person who has
The Department of the Interior (DOI) employs law
entered the Federal service through established selection
enforcement officers (LEOs) for a variety of purposes
criteria, has received professional training according to
including fostering public safety, protecting natural and
published standards, and has been commissioned or sworn
cultural resources, and enforcing federal laws and
to perform law enforcement duties” (DOI Departmental
regulations. Law enforcement on lands administered by
Manual Part 446 Ch. 1). Generally, LEOs include
DOI and its bureaus is of perennial interest to Congress.
employees who are authorized to carry firearms, execute
Issues of focus relate to funding, jurisdictional disputes
and serve warrants, search for and seize evidence, make
between federal and nonfederal law enforcement agencies,
arrests, and perform such duties as authorized by law. The
use of body cameras, and more recent concerns around
category broadly includes uniformed police officers,
excessive force and police-community relations, among
investigative agents, correctional officers, and various other
others.
positions within DOI. Since 2001, DOI’s Office of Law
Enforcement and Security (OLES) has provided direction,
As of December 2023, DOI employed roughly 3,400 LEOs.
DOI’s law enforc
oversight, and coordination across DOI’s various law
ement contingent is the fourth largest
enforcement units (Secretarial Order No. 3234, Enhanced
among executive branch departments, after the Departments
Coordination of Department of the Interior Law
of Homeland Security, Justice, and Veterans Affairs. The
Enforcement and Security).
majority of DOI LEOs are assigned to six organizational
units within four DOI bureaus (see Figure 1). These
The specific duties of DOI LEOs can vary considerably
bureaus/units are the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA);
based on the type (e.g., investigative agent vs. correctional
Bureau of Land Management (BLM); Fish and Wildlife
officer), seniority (supervisory vs. nonsupervisory), and
Service’s (FWS’s) Office of Law Enforcement (OLE) and
geographic location of the position. For example, in the
Division of Refuge Law Enforcement (REF); National Park
American Southwest, officers may deal with unauthorized
Service (NPS); and U.S. Park Police (USPP) within NPS. A
recreational off-highway vehicle users and archaeological
seventh unit in the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) was
resource crimes, whereas LEOs working in urbanized areas
dissolved in 2017. In addition, several DOI offices and
may be responsible for managing special events and
programs employ LEOs for a variety of duties.
political demonstrations, as well as performing other law
enforcement duties.
Figure 1. DOI Law Enforcement Employment
(as of December 2023)
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 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
federally recognized tribe. Although most police
departments and detention centers on tribal lands are

administered by tribes under their sovereign authorities,
Source: Totals provided to CRS on December 20, 2023, by DOI.
some are operated and administered by the BIA, largely
Notes: BIA = Bureau of Indian Affairs; BLM = Bureau of Land
under the authority of the Indian Law Enforcement Reform
Management; BOR = Bureau of Reclamation; OLE = Fish and Wildlife
Act (25 U.S.C. §§2801-2809). As of 2018 (the last year for
Service – Office of Law Enforcement; REF = Fish and Wildlife Service
which data are available), roughly 9% of all police
– Division of Refuge Law Enforcement; NPS = National Park Service;
departments and 25% of detention centers on tribal lands
USPP = U.S. Park Police. “Other” reflects law enforcement officer
were administered by the BIA (Bureau of Justice Statistics,
employment figures for the Office of Inspector General and other
Census of Tribal Law Enforcement, 2019). Staff in BIA-
DOI offices, including for the Office of Law Enforcement and
administered police departments and jails are considered
Security, the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, and the Office of
federal employees rather than tribal employees. As of
Aviation Services. Al totals reflect “on-board employment” figures.
December 2023, BIA employed 166 uniformed police
officers, 195 special agents, and 162 correctional officers,
for 523 total LEOs.
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Bureau of Land Management
National Park Service
Under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of
NPS employees have long had a role in protecting national
1976 (43 U.S.C. §§1701 et seq.), the Secretary of the
parklands and enforcing agency regulations, but they did
Interior is authorized to stand up a law enforcement body to
not have express permission to “maintain law and order and
enforce federal laws and regulations with respect to lands
to protect individuals and property within [National Park]
and resources under BLM’s jurisdiction. As of December
System units” until 1976, when Congress passed the
2023, BLM employed 241 law enforcement rangers and 75
General Authorities Act (54 U.S.C. §102701). As of
special agents for a total of 316 LEOs. BLM rangers
December 2023, NPS employed 33 special agents, who
typically are responsible for the enforcement of laws and
oversee criminal investigations as part of the agency’s
regulations governing BLM lands and resources. Special
Investigative Services Branch, and 1,264 park rangers, who
agents typically are plainclothes criminal investigators who
are responsible for everyday law enforcement on NPS
plan and conduct investigations concerning possible
lands. Although the title park ranger generally refers to a
violations on BLM lands.
broad range of employee positions within NPS, the ranger
figures here reflect only those employees specifically
Bureau of Reclamation
authorized to carry out law enforcement duties. NPS also
In 2001, Congress provided the Secretary of the Interior
uses seasonal rangers who conduct similar duties as
with the authority to use law enforcement personnel to
permanent rangers, usually for a period of several months.
provide for the security of dams, facilities, and resources
As of December 2023, NPS employed 49 seasonal LEOs,
under BOR’s jurisdiction (43 U.S.C. §373b). Under this
for a total of 1,346 LEOs. The total may be higher during
authority, BOR uses other federal, state, or local LEOs via
the summer months, when seasonal LEO employment is at
contract or cooperative agreement to oversee and conduct
its peak. For example, in July 2022, NPS reported having
law enforcement activities. The only site that employed a
214 seasonal LEOs on staff.
full-time law enforcement unit administered directly by
BOR was the Hoover Dam office; known as the Hoover
U.S. Park Police
Dam Police Department, the unit was established in the
The USPP is one of the oldest uniformed federal law
early 1930s and dissolved in 2017. As of December 2023,
enforcement units; its origins date to the late 1700s, when
BOR no longer operates a law enforcement unit. The
its LEOs were referred to as watchmen and charged with
agency reported employing 90 security guard staff at
safeguarding public buildings in the nation’s capital.
critical infrastructures around the country, referred to as the
Congress formally established the USPP in 1919 (41 Stat.
Security Response Force; however, DOI does not
364) and transferred the USPP to NPS administration in
categorize this job series as LEOs.
1924 (43 Stat. 175). The USPP primarily oversees law
Fish and Wildlife Service
enforcement on national parklands in Washington, DC;
New York City; and San Francisco. However, USPP
FWS’s law enforcement authority derives from numerous
jurisdiction generally extends to all NPS parklands
laws that pertain to federal wildlife and implement certain
nationwide. As of December 2023, USPP employed 540
international treaties. Two distinct law enforcement units
uniformed officers.
are responsible for enforcing such federal wildlife laws: the
Office of Law Enforcement and the Division of Refuge
Additional DOI Law Enforcement
Law Enforcement.
Beyond these law enforcement units, DOI reported 83
employees in various law enforcement positions across
Office of Law Enforcement
several offices and programs (Figure 1 note). DOI’s Office
The OLE is responsible for investigations and wildlife
of Inspector General (OIG) employed the majority of these
inspection across the country. Federal law enforcement of
LEOs. The OIG is vested with law enforcement authority
wildlife crime originated with the Lacey Act of 1900 (16
pursuant to the Inspector General Act of 1978, as amended
U.S.C. §§3371-3378 and 18 U.S.C. §§42-43) but has since
(5 U.S.C. §6(e)(3)). According to DOI, in December 2023,
expanded to include various laws and treaties. As of
the OIG employed 67 agents responsible for investigating
December 2023, OLE employed 222 special agents and
DOI programs and operations. LEOs employed by DOI’s
150 inspectors, for a total of 372 LEOs. Generally, special
OIG and other departmental offices generally are not
agents are investigators who aim to solve wildlife crimes,
considered a separate LEO unit within DOI.
such as illegal wildlife trafficking. Wildlife inspectors
oversee wildlife transiting through U.S. ports and identify
Generally, DOI agencies can designate federal law
and intercept illegally imported or exported wildlife.
enforcement personnel to act in areas within their
jurisdiction. This includes shared or supplemental LEO
Division of Refuge Law Enforcement
support between DOI agencies, as well as with other federal
The REF is responsible for enforcing laws on National
agencies with appropriate authority. Agencies also regularly
Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS) lands. This authority is
cooperate and contract with local sheriff’s offices, as well
primarily derived from the National Wildlife Refuge
as state and tribal authorities, to provide law enforcement
System Administration Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. §668dd(g)).
on federal lands and areas within agency responsibility or
As of December 2023, FWS employed 231 uniformed
control. Such agreements may allow certain officers to be
officers, generally referred to as federal wildlife officers, on
cross-deputized to expand jurisdiction and capacity for
NWRS lands.
federal and nonfederal authorities.
Mark K. DeSantis, Analyst in Natural Resources Policy
IF11709
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Department of the Interior Law Enforcement Programs

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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF11709 · VERSION 5 · UPDATED