Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) was a law enforcement agency within the United States Department of the Treasury. Its responsibilities included enforcing certain federal laws and collecting revenue. ATF enforced the Federal laws and regulations relating to alcohol, tobacco products, firearms, explosives, and arson. On November 25, 2002, the Homeland Security Act of 2002 split the agency into two different agencies. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) was split into the Department of Justice, and the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) was kept within the United States Department of the Treasury. The changes took effect in March 2003. Some critics of the ATF consider it to have violated its mission of enforcement by participating in an violent attack on the Branch Davidians. ATF consider the raid as needed to serve warrants. The ATF's reputation among the American public and other Federal law enforcement agencies has been seriously damaged by its questionable conduct in the Waco and Ruby Ridge raids. It is also notable that agents of the ATF are sometimes mockingly referred to as "F-Troop" by other Federal agents.

External links

\n* Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives website\n* Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau website