Do the feds play nice with local LE?

[wantiko]

In your experience, do agencies such as the FBI, DEA, ATF and ICE play nicely with local police departments? Is it a fairly collaborative atmosphere when working jointly with those agencies, or is there a definitive "we're federal so we're in charge" attitude?

Or do you generally have no contact with those agencies in typical police work?

[Kimble]

Is it a fairly collaborative atmosphere when working jointly with those agencies, or is there a definitive "we're federal so we're in charge" attitude?

As a fed, I can tell you what my viewpoint is, and as a former local LEO I can tell you what my viewpoint was when I was a local cop, but I would say my experience has been more the former (the latter is shown more in movies and on TV). There are bad apples in any agency (local, state or federal), so some may have the "I'm better than you" attitude, but it tends to not get them very far when they need support from other agencies. It's not like the movies where the fed always swoop in by saying, "I'm Special Agent Smith, and we're assuming jurisidiction over this case."

[PapaBear]

During my career I had the occassion to work with the FBI, USSS, BP, State Department, Customs, DEA and the U.S. Attorney General's office. In each event the work was beneficial and sharing with all concerned. We enjoyed good interagency cooperation and collaboration. I have never encountered a "holier than thou" attitude from any of them. We all have our crosses to bear and our duties to perform. The best way to work together is through open communications and shared intelligence.

[GoDirectly2Jail]

Do the feds play nice with local LE?

Yes, for the most part. (there may an occasional exception, but it is usually due to ego or hard-headedness more than anything else)

[retdetsgt]

I've always had good experiences with every federal agency but the FBI. Info has always been one way only and frankly, I have reasons not to trust them.

Other than that, they are just fine.

[Joeyd6]

Ditto for me on issues with FBI's. At least here in NY/NJ, the agents (not the uniformed police officers), have jumped onto more of my cases that were suddenly important, yet they were never available to do interviews, surveillance, and the arrest at 5 am. But they sure made it to the perp walk with the press with the FBI jackets.

Best cooperation so far in this area is tied with USPS-OIG and NCIS in CT. Never had a single hiccup with either but as Papabear mentioned, we have a open line of communication every day with both and bounce stuff off each other. NCIS has a better office, cooler toys, and offers more fun options in down time (aka- look at a machine sorting mail once which is neat, or tour a submarine which is awesome!)

[Sierra]

I have never seen the stereotypical federal attitude extended toward a local agency by ICE. We work too closely for that kind of crap. I have only dealt with a few other federal agencies (USMS, CBP, BP) but haven't seen that either.

Nope, only thing I have ever come across is another agency (cough, cough, BP, cough) not wanting to transport their own bodies.

[BP348]

Nope, only thing I have ever come across is another agency (cough, cough, BP, cough) not wanting to transport their own bodies.

Lets not throw stones or we might have to start talking about USBP picking up and processing cases that cough, ICE, cough should be picking up themselves

[Silver Fox]

In your experience, do agencies such as the FBI, DEA, ATF and ICE play nicely with local police departments? Is it a fairly collaborative atmosphere when working jointly with those agencies, or is there a definitive "we're federal so we're in charge" attitude?

Or do you generally have no contact with those agencies in typical police work?

Like ROS said, you can find bad apples in every LE agency whether it's local, state or federal.
I've worked cases with the FBI, ATF, USPIS and CID and always had a good working relationship with all four. It was a two street, they shared their Info, and I shared mine.

[corporal716]

I've always had good experiences with every federal agency but the FBI. Info has always been one way only and frankly, I have reasons not to trust them.

Other than that, they are just fine.

I'll second that, but I did like working with the Secret Service, those guy were down to earth.

[retdetsgt]

I have never seen the stereotypical federal attitude extended toward a local agency by ICE. We work too closely for that kind of crap. I have only dealt with a few other federal agencies (USMS, CBP, BP) but haven't seen that either.

ICE came about after I left, but I had great experiences with the Customs guys. INS was so so. At one time, it was impossible to contact an INS agent unless you knew the secret phone number. Once I tried to contact one to just ask a question and all their phones were nothing but recordings, no option to talk to a person. I finally called DEA and they gave me the secret number. I could see why a citizen would be fuming if they didn't have that access.

BATF was always a kick to work with, they had some great guys in the Portland office. Same with the local DEA office, good communication back and forth and even some case hand off to each other.

The only time I worked with USSS was when they were protecting a visiting politician and they were fine. But they needed stuff from us, we didn't need anything from them. But when I assisted them, they were gracious and easy to work with.

My last few years it was hard not to laugh out loud every time some young FBI SA would call me and read me the following:

Hi, I'm S.A. so and so from the FBI. We just had a directive from Washington to improve communication and exchange of information with local agencies. I've been assigned to do an outreach.

Pause

By the way, do you have any information on ......................?


I bet I heard that same line a half a dozen times. The last time, I told him I would be happy to help him and I needed some info on ( some guy I knew they had something on). I then told him that I would round up that info and when he had mine, call me and we would exchange.

The silence on the other end was deafening. I finally said good bye and that I was looking forward to hearing from him. I never did. I suspect he called someone else to get what he wanted.

My last experience was when they jumped a hate crimes case, took all the evidence and sent it back to D.C. for processing (which I could have done here) and then decided it wasn't high profile enough and dumped it back on me. Sans the evidence, of course. I never did get it back.

I never had any problems with any other federal agency that compared to those I had with the FBI. I've worked cases with them where they flat lied in their press releases, not exaggerate, but lied. I don't trust them.

[kels]

I have had good luck with my limited exposure to the feds.

The last time, DEA come visiting with a state agency.
They (DEA) ended up taking the whole case.
The illegal guns, the meth lab and the marijuana indoor
grow operation.
They got all the news time, they did all the paperwork
and all I did was stand around with a AR15 and watch the
action.
They can come play anytime they want.
We had such a good time, the boss even bought the pizza afterwards.

[BP348]

INS was so so. At one time, it was impossible to contact an INS agent unless you knew the secret phone number. Once I tried to contact one to just ask a question and all their phones were nothing but recordings, no option to talk to a person. I finally called DEA and they gave me the secret number. I could see why a citizen would be fuming if they didn't have that access.

Say it's not so :grin:

Not an excuse but I'm kind of wondering how many guys were assigned to that office? I'll also have to ask around and see how many INS SA there were before they merged with Customs.

I know that was one of the things we were told when I first joined the patrol was that there wasn't that many INS SA's out there.

[Creeker]

There is but one good thing I have to say about the FBI...

You can spot them coming.

There is no need for them to pop out their ID, other than to spell their name correctly on the receipt of the case files and evidence they are "adopting".

They have "The Look".

[basher52]

I concur with retdetsgt & joeyd, got along with all except the FBI. They just don't play well with others. Just finished a nice case with ICE, they actually asked us to come on board. I've also had the pleasure to work with USMS, SS, IRS, DEA and USSD over the years.