# Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

## Fact Sheet

Public Affairs Division – Washington, DC

At The Frontline Against Violent Crime

March 2012

www.atf.gov

Contact: ATF Public Affairs Division

(202) 648-8500

### ATF Explosives Enforcement Officer (EEO)

#### Purpose

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) explosives enforcement officer (EEO) has unique technical capabilities in explosives and bomb disposal.  ATFEEOs are among the most highly trained and technically proficient explosives experts in the United States.  They render bombs and other destructive devices safe, provide explosives device determinations for criminal prosecutions, and routinely conduct explosives threat assessments of vulnerable buildings, airports and national monuments.  Their duties range from conducting explosive product testing and evaluation to assisting the Department of State's Antiterrorism Assistance Program in conducting anti-terrorism capability assessments outside the United States. 

#### Authority

ATF is charged with enforcing the federal explosives and arson laws, which include the National Firearms Act (codified at Title 26, United States Code, Chapter 53), the Organized Crime Control Act of 1970, Title XI, and the Safe Explosives Act of 2002 (codified at Title 18, United States Code, Chapter 40), and implementing regulations (codified at Title 27, Code of Federal Regulations, Parts 479 and 555). 

#### Mission

The goal of the EEO program is to support ATF’s work in enforcing the federal explosives laws and protecting the public from the criminal misuse of explosives by
      - Responding to and assisting with investigations of bombings or attempted bombings within  ATF ’s jurisdiction;
      - Conducting render safe procedures of bombs and destructive devices and rendering destructive device determinations;
      - Assisting with the investigation of accidental explosions and accidents involving explosives operations; and
      - Providing explosives training to other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in their area of expertise and other related aspects of explosives handling and destruction. 

EEOs assist ATF special agents and certified explosives specialists, as well as local, state, and other federal law enforcement agencies in bombing-related investigations, and provide expert courtroom testimony in support of these investigations.  Approximately one-third of the EEOs are dive team members certified to conduct underwater crime scene investigations and evidence recovery.

EEOs assigned to the Explosives Technology Branch (ETB) are ATF’s primary point of technical assistance and support in matters involving improvised explosive devices and destructive devices.  This includes providing technical advice on federal explosives storage regulations and explosives handling, classification, and disposal.

Following criminal investigator basic training, EEOs take the following ATF courses on Post-blast Investigation, Chemistry of Pyrotechnics, Advanced Explosives Destruct Training, Advanced Explosives Investigation Training and other internationally available courses.  EEOs also attend the Hazardous Devices School at the Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Ala.  Additionally, the majority of the EEOs previously served as explosive ordnance disposal technicians in the U.S. military, where they received more than one year of specialized explosives training.  On average, EEOs have 14 years of experience in the explosives field prior to their employment by ATF.

ATF currently has 26 EEOs – including three supervisory EEOs and two EEO program managers — stationed throughout the country. 

For more information about explosives enforcement officers, go to www.atf.gov.

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