Why It Matters

A new Govermnt Accountability Office (GAO) report, published Aug. 3, found that Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and FBI allow nonfederal officers to engage in task force operations before completing required training on federal legal standards. The same report found that when these officers face misconduct allegations, none of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) components reviewed, , including the U.S. Marshall Service, have consistent guidelines for how field managers should handle those cases.

The Big Picture

As of April 2026, DOJ agencies operated approximately 1,600 task forces involving nonfederal officers, according to the report. Through these task forces, DOJ law enforcement agencies partner with thousands of nonfederal officers from state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement agencies.

Officers operating under federal deputation authority can serve warrants and conduct investigations under federal law. All three of the training-deficient agencies (ATF, DEA, and FBI) currently permit those officers to do so before completing initial training on the federal legal authorities they are exercising; the U.S. Marshals Service was not cited with the same training deficiency.

On misconduct, all four components lack guidelines and criteria for field managers to apply when adjudicating allegations against nonfederal task force officers. The GAO found this creates risk of inconsistent adjudications across field offices, which could jeopardize the integrity of task force operations and erode public trust.

GAO analyzed component-level policies, task force agreements, and laws, and interviewed officials from all four components.

The Bottom Line

The GAO made seven recommendations. Three direct ATF, DEA, and FBI respectively to update policies requiring nonfederal task force officers to complete initial training before engaging in operations that require federal deputation authority. The remaining four direct ATF, DEA, FBI, and the U.S. Marshals Service to develop guidelines for field managers adjudicating misconduct allegations against nonfederal officers.

DOJ agreed with all seven recommendations. All seven carry "Open" status, meaning actions to satisfy them have not been taken or are being planned.

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