FBI Critical Incident Response Group

Federal Bureau of Investigation
Common name	Federal Bureau of Investigation
Abbreviation	FBI
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agency information Badge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Flag of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Motto Fidelity, Bravery, Integrity Agency overview Formed July 26, 1908 (1908-07-26) Employees 35,104 (October 31, 2014) Annual budget 8.3 billion USD (FY 2014) Legal personality Governmental: Government agency Jurisdictional structure Federal agency (Operations jurisdiction) United States Legal jurisdiction As per operations jurisdiction. Governing body U.S. Department of Justice Constituting instrument United States Code Title 28 Part II Chapter 33 General nature Federal law enforcement Civilian agency Operational structure Headquarters J. Edgar Hoover Building Northwest, Washington, D.C. Sworn members 13,260 (October 31, 2014) Agency executives James B. Comey, Director Mark F. Giuliano, Deputy Director List of FBI Directors, Other directors Child agencies FBI Academy FBI Laboratory Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Critical Incident Response Group (CIRG) Counterterrorism Division (CTD) FBI Police (FBIP) Major units 5 Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) Law Enforcement Bulletin Unit (LEBU) Hostage Rescue Team (FBI) (HRT) Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) FBI Police National Security Branch (NSB) Field offices 56 (List of FBI Field Offices) Notables People John Edgar Hoover, Director, for being the founding director William Mark Felt, former Federal Agent, for whistle blowing, Watergate scandal Joseph Leo Gormley, Forensic Scientist, for expert testimony Significant Operations COINTELPRO Special Intelligence Service Website www.FBI.gov

The Critical Incident Response Group (CIRG) is a division of the Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation. CIRG enables the FBI to rapidly respond to, and effectively manage, special crisis incidents nationwide.

History

In response to public outcry over the standoffs at Ruby Ridge, Idaho, and of the Branch Davidians in the Waco Siege, the FBI formed the CIRG in 1994 to deal more efficiently with crisis situations. The CIRG is designated to formulate strategies, manage hostage or siege situations, and, if humanly possible, resolve them "without loss of life," as FBI Director Louis Freeh, who assumed the post four-and-a-half months after the Waco fire, pledged in a 1995 Senate hearing.

CIRG was intended to integrate tactical and investigative resources and expertise for critical incidents which necessitate an immediate response from law enforcement authorities. CIRG will deploy investigative specialists to respond to terrorist activities, hostage takings, child abductions and other high-risk repetitive violent crimes. Other major incidents include prison riots, bombings, air and train crashes, and natural disasters.

Organization

Each of the major areas of CIRG furnishes distinctive operational assistance and training to FBI field offices as well as state, local and international law enforcement agencies.

• Aviation and Surveillance Section - provides aviation and surveillance support for all facets of FBI investigative activities with a priority on protecting the United States from terrorist attack and against foreign intelligence operations and espionage
• Tactical Operations Section - provides the FBI with a nationwide, three-tiered tactical resolution capability that upon proper authorization can be activated within four hours of notification to address a full spectrum of terrorist or criminal matters
  • Hostage Rescue Team
  • Special Weapons and Tactics Teams
  • Crisis Negotiation Unit
• Investigative and Operations Support Section - prepares for and responds to critical incidents, major investigations, and special events by providing expertise in behavioral and crime analysis, crisis management, and rapid deployment logistics
  • National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime
    • Behavioral Analysis Unit
    • Violent Criminal Apprehension Program
  • Rapid Deployment and Logistics
• Strategic Information and Operation Center - serves as the FBI's 24-hour clearinghouse for strategic information, and as the center for crisis management and special event monitoring
• Hazardous Devices Operations Section - provides training, equipment, and advanced technical support to prevent and effectively respond to terrorist or criminal use of hazardous devices explosives and weapons of mass destruction
• Critical Incident Intelligence Unit - provides intelligence to inform operational planning and strategic decision-making

External links

• FBI Operations Support Branch
• FBI Tactical Operations Section
• FBI NATIONAL CENTER FOR THE ANALYSIS OF VIOLENT CRIME