The Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) is the criminal investigation arm of the United States Department of Defense Office of Inspector General.
Mission statement
The Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) investigates criminal activity that endangers military personnel, threatens national security, undermines military readiness, and diverts vital resources from the Department of Defense's core mission.
Background
On April 20, 1981, Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger established the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) as a worldwide civilian federal law enforcement agency responsible for investigating suspected criminal activities involving Department of Defense (DoD) components and DoD contractors.
When DCIS was created, the criminal investigative functions previously assigned to the Defense Investigative Service were transferred, along with 100 personnel billets, to the Office of the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense (Review and Oversight).
In October 1981, an initial cadre of 12 individuals from the DIS Special Investigations Unit began operating as DCIS special agents under the direction, authority, and control of the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense (Review and Oversight).
DCIS was incorporated into the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General when the office was established in 1982.
In 1997, DCIS became one of the first Offices of Inspector General investigative components to be granted permanent statutory law enforcement authorities comparable to those possessed by the FBI. Following the passage of Public Law 105–85 (Division A, Title X, §1071(a)), DCIS special agents were granted authority to carry concealed firearms, make arrests with or without warrants, and execute search warrants.
Responsibilities
It is the obligation of the DoD Inspector General to "initiate, conduct, and supervise such investigations in the Department of Defense (including the military departments) as the Inspector General considers appropriate" (IG Act Sec. 8(c)(2)) and to "provide leadership and coordination and recommend policies for activities to prevent and detect fraud and abuse in DoD programs and operations" (IG Act Sec. 2(2)).
DCIS protects military personnel by investigating cases of fraud, bribery, and corruption; preventing the illegal transfer of sensitive defense technologies to prohibited nations and criminal organizations; investigating companies that supply defective, substandard, or counterfeit parts used in weapon systems and military equipment; and combating cybercrime and computer intrusions. Current investigative priorities include procurement and acquisition fraud, healthcare fraud, cybersecurity, and national security investigations.
Organization
DCIS is led by the Deputy Inspector General for Investigations, who is cross-designated as the Director of DCIS.
The Principal Deputy Director of DCIS reports directly to the Director and serves as the organization's second-in-command.
DCIS Headquarters is organized into two functional branches:
- Investigative Operations
- Internal Operations
Each branch is managed by an Assistant Inspector General who is cross-designated as a Deputy Director of DCIS.
Locations
DCIS is headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, and maintains a presence in more than 50 domestic and international locations.
Each field office is overseen by a Special Agent in Charge (SAC), who supervises numerous subordinate resident agencies and duty posts throughout the United States.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Field office
!City
!State
|-
|Mid-Atlantic Field Office
| rowspan="3" |Alexandria
| rowspan="3" |
|-
|Cyber Field Office
|-
|Transnational Operations Field Office
|-
|Northeast Field Office
|Boston
|
|-
|Southeast Field Office
|Atlanta
|
|-
|Southwest Field Office
|Dallas
|
|-
|Western Field Office
|Mission Viejo
|
|}
DCIS also maintains an international presence at the following locations:
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Presence
!City
!Country
|-
|Camp Arifjan
|Kuwait City
|
|-
|Naval Support Activity Bahrain
|Mina Salman
|
|-
|Clay Kaserne
|Wiesbaden
|
|-
|Al Udeid Air Base
|Doha
|
|-
|Camp Humphreys
|Pyeongtaek
|
|-
|U.S. Embassy Kyiv
|Kyiv
|
|-
|Yokosuka Navy Base
|Yokosuka
|
|}
Special agents
Pursuant to , DCIS special agents conducting, supervising, or coordinating investigations of criminal activity in programs and operations of the Department of Defense are authorized to execute and serve warrants or other legal process issued under the authority of the United States; make arrests without a warrant for offenses committed in their presence; and make warrantless arrests for felonies under United States law when there is probable cause to believe that the individual has committed or is committing the offense.
Authorization for DCIS special agents to carry firearms while performing investigative duties or other duties prescribed by the Secretary of Defense is provided under (a).
Selection and training
thumb|DCIS special agents participate in firearms training at [[FLETC.]]
To be considered for a DCIS special agent position, applicants must be United States citizens between the ages of 21 and 37, pass screening and background investigations, and demonstrate strong communication skills.
DCIS special agent candidates receive initial training at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in Glynco, Georgia. Candidates attend the 12-week Criminal Investigator Training Program (CITP) alongside trainees from agencies including Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Secret Service, and the Diplomatic Security Service.
Following completion of CITP, candidates attend an additional three-week training course specific to DCIS. Special agents may later return to FLETC for specialized instruction in areas such as counterproliferation, procurement fraud, money laundering, cybercrime investigations, and advanced interview techniques.
In popular culture
- In the 2010 film The A-Team, the character Charissa Sosa is portrayed as a captain in DCIS. In reality, DCIS special agents are civilian federal law enforcement personnel rather than military service members.
- In NCIS season 20, episode 6, DCIS investigates a suspected mole within NCIS, with Kasie Hines serving as a lead investigator for the agency.
- In episodes 5 and 7 of The Terminal List, the character Bijan Azad is depicted as a DCIS special agent.
== See also ==<!-- Please respect alphabetical order -->
- Coast Guard Investigative Service
- Department of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations
- Department of Defense Whistleblower Program
- Law enforcement agency
- Naval Criminal Investigative Service
- United States Army Counterintelligence
- United States Army Criminal Investigation Command
- United States Department of Defense
- United States Marine Corps Criminal Investigation Division