Coast Guard Intelligence Coast Guard Intelligence ( CGI ) is the military intelligence branch of the United States Coast Guard . The United States Coast Guard is a military , multi - mission , maritime service within the United States Department of Homeland Security and one of the United States ' s five armed services . Its core roles are to protect the public , the environment , and U . S . economic and security interests in any maritime region in which those interests may be at risk , including international waters and the U . S . ' s coasts , ports , and inland waterways . The Coast Guard provides unique benefits to the nation because of its distinctive blend of military , humanitarian , and civilian law enforcement capabilities . To assist in accomplishing the many diverse missions of the Coast Guard , senior leadership and operational commanders rely on Coast Guard Intelligence . Coast Guard intelligence came into existence in 1915 by the assignment of a " Chief Intelligence Officer " in Headquarters . Article 304 in the first set of Coast Guard Regulations provided for the establishment of a Chief Intelligence Officer who was to be attached to the Office of Assistant Commandant . The Chief Intelligence Officer ' s duties were spelled out in Article 614 of those same Regulations : " securing of information which is essential to the Coast Guard in carrying out its duties ; for the dissemination of this information to responsible officers , operating units of the Coast Guard , the Treasury Department and other collaborating agencies ; and the maintenance of adequate files and records of law enforcement activities . " The office was relatively unknown until the enactment of the Prohibition Act when CGI grew to a cadre of 45 investigators . CGI was extremely successful during prohibition and an Intelligence Division was established at Headquarters in 1930 , followed by district intelligence offices in 1933 . During World War II , CGI was concerned with internal and domestic intelligence and counterintelligence . It was charged with conducting all necessary investigation of Coast Guard personnel , and all applicants for positions therein , as well as investigations of applicants for merchant marine documentation . Further , Coast Guard Intelligence was charged with conducting investigations in connection with the Coast Guard ' s regulatory functions , except Marine Inspection Regulations . The modern Coast Guard Intelligence program has cultivated extensive relationships and partnerships with other elements of the Intelligence Community to provide timely , tailored support in a wide range of Coast Guard and national missions . These missions include port security , search and rescue , maritime safety , counter - narcotics , alien migration interdiction , and living marine resources protection . It is currently designated as part of the CG - 2 directorate of Coast Guard headquarters . Assistant Commandant for Intelligence and Criminal Investigations . The Assistant Commandant for Intelligence and Criminal Investigations ( CG - 2 ) is RADM Christopher J . Tomney . He is responsible for directing , coordinating , and overseeing intelligence and investigative operations and activities that support all Coast Guard mission objectives , the National Strategy for Homeland Security , National Security objectives , and the Coast Guard Investigative Service Transfer of Certain Functions to CGIS . In 1948 , CGI became the primary investigative arm of the service . This mandate for an " investigative service " required that special agents conduct criminal , counterintelligence and personnel security investigations within the Coast Guard ' s area of responsibility . The majority of these investigations involved those criminal offenses which are in violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice . In 1996 , in compliance with the President ' s Council on Integrity and Efficiency , the Coast Guard reorganized all criminal investigative and protective - services functions into the Coast Guard Investigative Service ( CGIS ) . The centralization of CGIS meant reorganization from the top down . Special agents now worked for a regional Special Agent - in - Charge ( SAC ) . The SACs were located in seven regional offices in Boston , Portsmouth , Virginia , Miami , Cleveland , New Orleans , Alameda , California , and Seattle . The SACs , in turn , reported to the director of CGIS at Headquarters who reported to the Chief of Operations and the vice commandant . Field Intelligence Support Teams . Field Intelligence Support Teams ( FIST ) are a vital component of the Coast Guard ' s Ports , Waterways , and Coastal Security ( PWCS ) mission and against the large number of threats to homeland security . According to the United States Coast Guard , the primary function of a FIST is to " collect Law Enforcement Intelligence on all maritime threats , exchange information through relationships with government and private entities , conduct first order analysis , and disseminate tactical and operational intelligence directly to port level commanders as well as other Coast Guard units and government agencies . " Intelligence Community . On December 28 , 2001 , President George W . Bush signed legislation that amended the National Security Act of 1947 to make Coast Guard Intelligence a member of the Intelligence Community .