Opinion: Beyond the FBI: Reforming Federal Law Enforcement

By ANDREW BIEMER

Published: 12-24-2024 6:00 AM

Andrew Biemer is a regulatory agency director in state government. He is a current member of the Concord Public Safety Board and former member of the State Juvenile Parole Board. His 20-year career spans policy, strategic communications, public safety, regulatory oversight and governmental reform.

Federal law enforcement stands at the crossroads of public safety and government reform, embodying both the strengths and shortcomings of our broader system. Federal agencies are tasked with enormous responsibility, yet operate within frameworks that foster mission creep, hinder coordination and avoid accountability.

From overlapping jurisdictions to inconsistent resource allocation, inefficiencies within federal law enforcement waste taxpayer dollars and erode public trust. As someone who has worked at the intersection of public safety and government oversight, I’ve seen firsthand how reform is possible,but only when we confront systemic barriers and embrace bold, structural changes that prioritize effectiveness over tradition.

While FBI reform dominates the headlines, that story portends a concerning hidden reality: we must take a hard look at federal law enforcement proliferation in general. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, there are over 100 federal law enforcement agencies employing nearly 140,000 personnel with arrest and firearm authority. This staggering figure represents a growing problem: mission creep. Originally granted specific mandates, many of these agencies have expanded their scope exponentially under the facade of homeland security.

Consider a few examples. The Railroad Retirement Board employs its own police force, as does the Environmental Protection Agency. The Department of Education has officers authorized to carry firearms and execute search warrants. These are not the responsibilities of federal law enforcement, they are bureaucratic overreaches. This proliferation not only wastes taxpayer money but also creates unnecessary overlap with state and local authorities.

Some of these agencies should be consolidated or eliminated outright. The U.S. Marshals Service, our oldest federal law enforcement agency, is perfectly positioned to serve as the primary federal police force. It already has a broad mandate, including fugitive apprehension, witness protection and the enforcement of federal court orders. Consolidating smaller, redundant agencies into the U.S. Marshals would streamline operations and restore clarity of purpose.

Restoring the proper balance between federal and local law enforcement is paramount. The best policing happens closest to the communities served, where officers understand the nuances of their neighborhoods and can establish trust. Federal law enforcement should complement, not supplant local efforts. Rather than expanding federal payrolls, resources are better spent on grant-funded positions in local departments. This approach empowers local agencies, ensures taxpayer dollars are used efficiently and maintains local control over community policing.

Mission creep in federal law enforcement should concern everyone, regardless of political affiliation. The current system wastes resources, creates confusion and often undermines its core mission. The new administration presents an opportunity to address this issue with bold reforms: consolidating redundant agencies, empowering the U.S. Marshals to take the lead and returning to the principle of federal assistance, not domination.

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I trust the incoming administration has the disposition for this Herculean task. Unified control presents a unique opportunity to deliver on governmental reform. Federal agencies must revert to their original mandates, leaving community policing where it belongs: in the hands of local departments — supported, not superseded by Washington bureaucracy.