Coast Guard Investigative Service

The Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) is a division of the United States Coast Guard that investigates crimes where the U.S. Coast Guard has an interest. It is composed of civilian (GS-1811), active duty, reserve enlisted, and warrant officer special agents.

## Mission

The mission of the Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) is to conduct professional criminal investigations, engage in law enforcement information and intelligence collection, provide protective services, and establish and maintain law enforcement liaison directed at preserving the integrity of the Coast Guard, protecting the welfare of Coast Guard personnel, and supporting Coast Guard and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) maritime law enforcement and counter-terrorism missions worldwide.

## Authority

The Coast Guard Investigative Service is a federal law enforcement agency whose law enforcement authority is derived from 14 U.S.C. § 95. This authority provides for Coast Guard special agents to conduct investigations of actual, alleged or suspected criminal activity; carry firearms; execute and serve warrants; and make arrests for all crimes under the jurisdiction of the United States. The criminal investigative function of the Coast Guard Investigative Service is similar to that of a major crimes unit at a large metropolitan police department, investigating crimes such as those "internal" to the Coast Guard, including fraud, larceny, homicide and rape, as well as "external" investigations of maritime-related crimes ranging from migrant and drug smuggling, homicide, rape, false distress calls, and violations of the environmental laws. The Coast Guard Investigative Service is a centralized directorship managed by a professional criminal investigator who reports directly to the Coast Guard's Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard. It is located outside the Coast Guard's operational chain of command.

## Responsibilities

### Criminal Investigations

* Felony violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ)
* United States Code violations related to or within the maritime jurisdiction of the U.S.
* Counter-narcotics and alien-smuggling investigations
* Fisheries Violations and Environmental Crimes
* Counter-terrorism and force protection
* Investigative assistance to federal, state and local law enforcement
* Protective service operations

### Commandant/Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard

* Assistance to U.S. Secret Service Presidential Detail
* Other foreign and domestic dignitaries as requested

### Intelligence Operations

* Human intelligence (HUMINT) collection operations
* Image intelligence collection operations (IMINT)
* Law enforcement information collection
* Counterintelligence functions are investigated by the Coast Guard Counterintelligence Service as part of U.S. Coast Guard Intelligence

### Anti-fraud, Waste and Abuse

* Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General Hotline complaint investigations
* TRICARE medical fraud investigations
* Contract fraud investigations

### Task Force and Liaison Activities

* FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF)
* Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF)
* High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force
* Border Enforcement Security Task Force (BEST)

## CGIS Special Agents

The CGIS special agent workforce is composed of active duty military, reserve, and civilian personnel. All CGIS Special Agents are sworn personnel with powers of arrest and warrant service. All CGIS Special Agents have full arrest powers under Title 14 section 95 of the United States Code.

The active duty military component is composed of enlisted personnel, chief warrant officer and commissioned officer investigator positions. The civilian component is composed of GS-1811-11 to SES criminal investigator positions.