Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Strategic Plan Fiscal Years 2017 – 2022

www.atf.gov

Vision

Serving our nation as a world-class law 

enforcement organization committed to 

safeguarding lives by protecting the public 

from violent crime.

Mission

ATF protects the public from crimes involving 

firearms, explosives, arson, and the diversion of 

alcohol and tobacco products; regulates lawful 

commerce in firearms and explosives; and 

provides worldwide support to law 

enforcement, public safety, and industry 

partners.

Values

We pledge an unwavering professional and organizational commitment to:

People

• Preserving and protecting human life and 

public safety.

• Fairness, and respect for the worth, dignity, 

and diversity of all people.

• Supporting the well-being of all members of 

the ATF family.

• Professionalism, honesty, integrity, 

accountability, self-discipline, and excellence.

• Innovation, critical thinking, 

continuous learning and development.

Partnerships

• Teamwork and 

collaborative effort.

• Partnerships that 

promote the safety and 

security of our nation.

Justice

• Upholding the 

Constitution and 

the laws of the 

United States in 

the pursuit of 

justice.

Strategic Goal Statements

Deter Illegal Firearms Trafficking and Violent 

Gun Crime

Utilize effective firearms enforcement techniques to 

reduce violent firearm-related crimes in the United 

States and abroad, thereby enhancing public safety.

Combat Criminal Organizations

Make our communities safer by identifying, 

targeting, and dismantling those criminal 

organizations that utilize firearms, arson, explosives, 

and alcohol or tobacco diversion in furtherance of 

violent criminal activity.

Deter Misuse of Explosives, Bombs, and 

Bombings 

Advance domestic and international explosives 

expertise to prevent, detect, and investigate acts of 

violent crime, terrorism, and enhance public safety.

Research Fire and Investigate Arson

Advance the science of fire investigation 

globally, by setting and delivering the highest 

standards in response, research, information 

sharing, and training.

Modernize Our Processes and Systems

Modernize business processes and systems for 

improved information sharing and knowledge 

management. Use innovative technologies to 

support ATF’s mission.

Manage Our Workforce

Attract, develop, and retain a diverse, expert, and 

high-performing workforce to execute the ATF 

mission and administrative responsibilities in the 

current and emerging business environment.
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Strategic Plan Fiscal Years 2017 – 2022

www.atf.gov

Strategic Goals and Objectives

Strategic Goal 1: Deter Illegal Firearms Trafficking and Violent Gun Crime

Performance Goal 1: Impact the threat to public safety caused by illegal firearms trafficking.

Performance Goal 2: Impact the threat to public safety caused by the criminal possession and 

use of firearms.

Strategic Objective: Deter illegal firearms trafficking and violent gun crime through a 

systematic approach.

1. Fully implement an intelligence-driven approach to illegal firearms trafficking and 

violent gun crime.

2. Address emerging challenges presented by internet-based illegal firearms trafficking.

3. Refine and enhance our inspection process.

4. Train ATF personnel, law enforcement organizations, and prosecutors.

______________________________________________________________________________

Strategic Goal 2: Combat Criminal Organizations

Performance Goal: Impact the threat to public safety caused by criminal organizations.

Strategic Objective 1: Continue ATF’s enforcement efforts to identify, disrupt, and dismantle 

violent criminal organizations and share Federal, State, Tribal, and local intelligence.

1. Maximize partnerships with other Federal, State, Tribal, and local law enforcement 

agencies to identify and arrest armed offenders.

Alcohol and Tobacco

Diversion

Explosives Industry 

Operations

Firearms Industry

Operations

Firearms Criminal 

Possession and Use

Deter Illegal Firearms 

Trafficking and Violent 

Gun Crime

Combat Criminal 

Organizations

Deter Misuse of 

Explosives, Bombs, 

and Bombings

Research Fire and 

Investigate Arson

Manage Our Workforce

ATF Core Functions
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Strategic Plan Fiscal Years 2017 – 2022

www.atf.gov

2. Leverage investigative technology and expertise for complex cases.

3. Continuously improve intelligence collection, sharing, and training regarding criminal 

organizations.

Strategic Objective 2: Address contraband and counterfeit tobacco products trafficking through 

coordinated national investigations.

1. Conduct focused investigations involving tobacco diversion schemes.

2. Collaborate and coordinate with our partners.

______________________________________________________________________________

Strategic Goal 3: Deter Misuse of Explosives, Bombs, and Bombings 

Performance Goal: Impact the threat to public safety caused by bombs and explosives.

Strategic Objective: Continually address and mitigate emerging explosives and bombing threats 

by developing and implementing proactive regulatory, investigative, and intelligence sharing 

tactics.

1. Partner with industry and public safety agencies to share ATF’s specialized explosives 

resources.

2. Advance bombing and explosives expertise by providing high quality training to industry, 

law enforcement, public safety, and military agencies in explosives classification, 

storage, detection, disruption, investigation, and disposal.

3. Enhance the integration of explosives research and development with laboratory forensics 

and training.

4. Ensure the effective oversight of the explosives industry through collaboration with 

industry partners and consistent inspection thereby enhancing public safety and lawful 

commerce.

5. Obtain accreditation for explosives related training programs.

______________________________________________________________________________

Strategic Goal 4: Research Fire and Investigate Arson 

Performance Goal: Impact the threat to public safety caused by the criminal use of fire.

Strategic Objective: Provide expert fire and arson investigative response, technical assistance, 

research, training, and reporting to public safety partners.

1. Continually develop and deploy specialized resources across the country.

2. Advance our fire and arson investigation expertise by providing high quality training.

3. Promote and increase fire research, development, and information sharing.

4. Obtain accreditation for fire and arson related training programs.

______________________________________________________________________________

Strategic Goal 5: Modernize Our Processes and Systems

Performance Goal: Modernize business processes and systems for improved mission effectiveness 

and transparency.

Strategic Objective 1: Modernize our approach to business process reengineering to ensure 

effective Government management.

1. Continually improve ATF business processes through critical evaluation to determine 

when reengineering is appropriate.
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Strategic Plan Fiscal Years 2017 – 2022

www.atf.gov

2. Redesign management operations by applying industry best practices in business process 

analysis and redesign.

Strategic Objective 2: Strengthen our capability to capture, manage, share, and act on data, 

information, and knowledge ATF-wide and with our partners.

1. Improve data quality.

2. Further strengthen data integrity and improve efficiencies.

3. Standardize the ATF architecture.

4. Establish internal information-sharing technical architecture.

5. Implement an innovative knowledge management environment.

6. Enhance external information-sharing capability.

Strategic Objective 3: Proactively identify, research, and integrate innovative technology to 

further ATF’s effectiveness in accomplishing our mission.

1. Identify emerging technologies that have potential to improve ATF’s performance and 

efficiency.

2. Enhance technology review and implementation processes.

Strategic Objective 4: Improve the reliability and availability of ATF systems by moving all ATF 

Information Technology systems to Cloud-hosted facilities.

1. Migrate systems to the Cloud.

2. Update ATF systems to make use of Cloud efficiencies. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Strategic Goal 6: Manage Our Workforce

Performance Goal: Attract, develop, and retain an expert workforce to execute the ATF mission.

Strategic Objective 1: Implement a comprehensive recruitment and staffing strategy for external 

and internal vacancies focused on hiring a highly competent and diverse workforce.

1. Optimize recruitment strategies.

2. Implement a strategic approach to the construction of the future ATF workforce.

3. Evaluate and modernize recruitment and staffing business practices and information 

systems.

Strategic Objective 2: Develop occupational expertise and sustainable career development 

opportunities for the continuous professional development of every employee to prepare for 

current and future business needs.

1. Deliver foundational training for critical occupational functions.

2. Anticipate organizational skill gaps.

3. Provide advanced skills training.

4. Instill a comprehensive and integrated leadership development culture.

5. Provide cost-effective professional development.

6. Enhance training business processes and accreditation.

Strategic Objective 3: Streamline the complaint process to resolve workplace disputes fairly and 

expeditiously.

1. Enhance the Alternative Dispute Resolution Program for non-discriminatory and nondisciplinary matters.
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Strategic Plan Fiscal Years 2017 – 2022

www.atf.gov

2. Provide training and resources for management to enhance understanding of how best to 

resolve workplace incidents.

3. Continue to seek improvements in the discrimination complaint process.

Strategic Objective 4: Create a work environment that fosters employee performance, 

accountability, and resourcefulness while encouraging employee retention.

1. Foster a culture of high performance and accountability.

2. Encourage high performance and job satisfaction.

3. Enhance employee engagement and satisfaction by monitoring and responding to 

feedback mechanisms.

4. Utilize work/life flexibility options.