Forest Service and Department of the Interior Law Enforcement Improvement Act of 2015

To reform oversight of law enforcement activities of the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior and to improve coordination and cooperation with local law enforcement agencies, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Forest Service and Department of the Interior Law Enforcement Improvement Act of 2015 2. Management of Forest Service law enforcement personnel (a) Responsibility of regional forester Except in the case of law enforcement personnel described in subsection (b), the Regional Forester for a Forest Service Region shall be responsible for all Forest Service law enforcement personnel assigned to that Region. The Regional Forester may delegate this responsibility to Forest Supervisors and District Rangers as the Regional Forester considers appropriate and based on the capabilities of the line officer. (b) Investigations Division The Chief of the Forest Service, acting through the Director of Law Enforcement, shall remain responsible for the Investigations Division of Forest Service law enforcement. 3. Federal Lands Law Enforcement Review Boards (a) Establishment The Secretary of Agriculture, with respect to the Forest Service, and the Secretary of the Interior, with respect to the land management agencies of the Department of the Interior, shall establish a Federal Lands Law Enforcement Review Board. (b) Composition Each Federal Lands Law Enforcement Review Board shall be composed of seven members as follows: (1) The applicable Director of Law Enforcement. (2) A Law Enforcement Regional Special Agent in Charge, in the case of the Board established by the Secretary of Agriculture, and a State Director of Law Enforcement and Security, in the case of the Board established by the Secretary of the Interior. (3) Three line officers selected by the Secretary concerned. (4) One member of the National Sheriffs’ Association who resides east of the 100th meridian and is recommended by the Association. (5) One member of the National Sheriffs’ Association who resides west of the 100th meridian and is recommended by the Association. (c) Purposes The purposes of a Federal Lands Law Enforcement Review Board are to review and make recommendations regarding the following: (1) Law enforcement incidents of concern involving law enforcement personnel of the agency. (2) Proposed changes to agency law enforcement policy. (3) The cooperative law enforcement program. (4) Training of agency law enforcement personnel. (d) Additional boards The Secretary of Agriculture, with respect to the Forest Service, and the Secretary of the Interior, with respect to the land management agencies of the Department of the Interior, may establish additional Federal Lands Law Enforcement Review Boards at subordinate levels of the agency. 4. Improved coordination and cooperation with local law enforcement agencies (a) Forest service Public Law 92–82 ( 16 U.S.C. 551a If a political subdivision of a State contains 25,000 acres or more of Federal land, all or a majority of which is National Forest System land, the Secretary shall endeavor to develop a memorandum of understanding with the political subdivision to address the specific roles and coordination between Forest Service law enforcement personnel and local law enforcement. (b) Department of the Interior If a political subdivision of a State contains 25,000 acres or more of Federal land, all or a majority of which is under the jurisdiction of a land management agency of the Department of the Interior, the Secretary of the Interior shall endeavor to develop a memorandum of understanding with the political subdivision to address the specific roles and coordination between Department law enforcement personnel and local law enforcement.

Summary: Forest Service and Department of the Interior Law Enforcement Improvement Act of 2015 This bill makes a Regional Forester for a Forest Service region responsible for all Forest Service law enforcement personnel assigned to that Region. The Chief of the Forest Service, however, acting through the Director of Law Enforcement, shall remain responsible for the Investigations Division. The Department of Agriculture (USDA), with respect to the Forest Service, and the Department of the Interior, with respect to its land management agencies, shall establish a Federal Lands Law Enforcement Review Board to review and make recommendations regarding: law enforcement incidents of concern involving agency law enforcement personnel, proposed changes to agency law enforcement policy, the cooperative law enforcement program, and training of agency law enforcement personnel. If a political subdivision of a state contains 25,000 acres or more of federal land, all or a majority of which is either National Forest System land or land under Interior jurisdiction, USDA or Interior, as appropriate, shall try to develop a memorandum of understanding with that political subdivision to address the specific roles and coordination between Forest Service or Interior law enforcement personnel and local law enforcement.