Inside the New ATF

When the federal government underwent its homeland security reorganization after the passage and signing of the Homeland Security Act in November 2002, one of the seamless changes for state and local law enforcement was with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF). ATF changed its name, its departmental affiliation, and some of its functions without interrupting its service to local law enforcement. Few street officers noticed the difference in their relationship with ATF.