Should the FBI and the DEA be integrated ??

Probably like most of you I can think of a few reasons why that might be good or bad.

On the bad, consolidation of too much power into one agency.

On the good, the two agencies have very different cultures.  The FBI types wore wing-tip booties as infants and still do.  The DEA types wore and still wear sneaks without socks and only those when appearing in court.

A consolidation of the two cultures could be positive.

Your thoughts ??

No, but I wouldn't mind seeing the BATF broken up and it's components integrated into other agencies.

The DEA and BATF are "tits on a boar hog"  They should be disbanded.  Whatever legitimate functions they perform are more properly relegated to the FBI, an actual law enforcement agency.

What is the FBI's basic function, anyway?

So integrate DEA and BATF into the FBI.

Lots of power in one agency, lots.  (Although I tend to agree with you.)

How about we dissolve the DEA along with the BATF and the IRS too?

The FBI's job is basically the federal law enforcement. I believe they do things like bust kidnappers, murders, bank robbers, and other crimes that cross state lines. I think they also do financial/tax evasion and counterespionage.

Organizationally, it would make sense to combine the FBI, DEA, ATF, Secret Service, Border Patrol, the US Marshal Service, etc.  But do we really want a national police force?

Incidentally, in many ways DEA is now part of the FBI anyway.

The FBI focuses on what is hot at the moment. They are an investagative agency. The DEA and US Marshals are enforcement orientated. They work the street more like state and local guys. They also share information with other agencies, something the "bureau" has a rep for not doing.

LE6920,
hard to disagree about the FBI sharing or playing-well-with-others.  Even to us outside the LEO community the FBI's rep for not trusting the locals is well known.
Have you seen any change in attitude since 9/11 ??  Do you believe there will be any change in attitude ??

judging them as organizations/the mindset of those in charge, and not by individual employees:

the fbi is a lackey of politicians and as such they will always be ineffective.  their new focus and latitude to violate your rights will soon put them in the same league with batf and dea.

batf is a greater threat to the freedom of every honest citizen than any terrorist group.  hell, batf would probably fit the description of a domestic terrorist group.

dea is a corrupt organization trying to 'fight' a 'war' that mirrors prohibition and can't be won.

irs is the gov't's personal SS.  hitler would look at the irs and blush with pride and envy.

To the original question, don't merge them, move toward freedom and disband them.
just my $0.02 worth.

Agreed.
I always post the same thing on this topic.  I know of no country including Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, even under Stalin, that stopped a black market.

The market place, the forces of supply and demand, seem to work well in this illegal environment.

What HE said!!!

The ATF should be reduced to a clerical role, not one of enforcement. Any violations should be turned over to a federal LE agency such as the FBI.

The DEA should be replaced by a miltary presence at the borders, and by the FBI and local LE agencies within the country. And the role should not be relegated specifically to the Coast Guard, they got enough to do and their duties are too much and too varied.

On a Federal Level we need very few agencies.

FBI - Internal Law Enforcement
CIA - Overseas Intelligence Gathering
Secret Service - Internal Intelligence

With a mutual support mandate. Inter agency rivalries leave gaps in national defense.

Interesting..........

But not like the Shutzzstaffel. I mean like the CIA for domestic investigations, leaving the FBI as a agency of enforcement. You know like looking into recent immigrants who want to learn how to fly or wish to buy large quantities of fertilzier.

Disagree strongly!  

The Secret Service, of necessity, has a very cozy relationship with the President to begin with.  

Make them responsible for domestic intelligence and they’ll be investigating the Republicans when there’s a Democratic president and the Democrats when there’s a Republican president.  They will become the president’s Praetorian Guard.

Further, you’ve totally isolated domestic intelligence gathering from domestic enforcement operations.  The separation of these functions is a traditional weakness to begin with.  These two activities need to be closely coordinated, not placed in separate agencies.

Actually, the concept of  “enforcement operations” as an isolated activity removed from other government operations is itself flawed.  Many specific enforcement activities are inextricably interwoven into other Governmental functions.  Would you replace Park Rangers with FBI Agents?

I have to agree that’s there’s no compelling reason for the FBI, DEA, and ATF to be separate outfits.  I kinda like it that way, though.

Whenever there’s a problem in the Federal Government, the solution invariably is a reorganization.  It invariably fails, and is then replaced with another reorganization.  Etc., etc.

True, but I should have added the qualifier that they would no longer be directly in charge of Presidential Security, would have to be a separate branch or differnet agency altogether.

A better way to express my idea is this...

Agency A: Overseas Intelligence
Agency B: Domestic Intelligence
Agency C: Domestic Enforcement

I would not create a Agency D: Overseas Enforcement because I don't believe in Global Policing Agencies. If it is a matter of national defense we have the military, especially the special forces community to defend our interests.

SA - Up late or up early?

Late.