Law Enforcement in the Forest The National Academy of Public Administration

The National Academy of Public Administration

LAW ENFORCEMENT REFORMS AT INTERIOR
Interior Secretary Gale Norton requested that the Inspector General (IG) assess the actions
needed for effective departmental law enforcement, and the IG staff reviewed the seven distinct
organization units in five DOI bureaus, which contain nearly 4,400 law enforcement officers.
This IG study, published in January 2002, led the Secretary to establish a special review panel to
improve law enforcement throughout the department. The Secretary approved more than 20
measures this special review panel proposed, including the appointment of a Deputy Assistant
Secretary (DAS) for law enforcement and security. The measures, which were largely consistent
with the IG recommendations,1 were designed to improve training, supervision, oversight and
coordination among the five Interior bureaus with law enforcement personnel: National Park
Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs,
and Bureau of Reclamation.