Agency Mission
About this agency
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) conducts criminal investigations, regulates the firearms and explosives industries, and assists other law enforcement agencies in order to suppress violent crime and protect the public. The ATF removes violent offenders and criminal organizations from the community, assists prosecutors in incarcerating violent offenders, provides leadership to solve violent crime, denies criminals access to firearms by stopping illegal firearms traffickers, works with the firearms and explosives industries to ensure compliance with regulations and record keeping requirements, promotes comprehensive crime gun tracing, safeguards the public from explosives and arson incidents, supports interagency counterterrorism effort, assists state, local, and other federal law enforcement agencies by establishing and conducting law enforcement training and research programs, investigates thefts and losses of firearms and explosives, allows only qualified applicants to become licensed in firearms and explosives industries, conducts revenue investigations in conjunction with alcohol and tobacco diversion investigations, and prevents criminal encroachment of the legitimate alcohol and tobacco industries. ATF also maintains records relating to the administration of the bureau. FOIA Reference Guide FOIA Regulations
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