The External Effects of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Reprioritization Efforts
(Redacted for Public Release)

Audit Report 05-37
September 2005
Office of the Inspector General


Appendix VIII: Web-Based Survey Results


Our web-based survey of state and local law enforcement agencies consisted of 37 questions, which were divided into separate sections. Specifically, some of the segments included questions related to the FBI’s investigative assistance, the impact of the FBI’s shift in priorities, the survey participants’ joint investigations with the FBI, and the level of FBI investigations in each participant’s jurisdiction. The remainder of this appendix provides the results of our survey, question-by-question.

FBI Investigative Assistance:

1. During calendar year 2000 (January through December 2000), how many times did your agency request criminal investigative assistance from the FBI?

Available Answer Number of
Responses
0 times 515
1 to 10 times 630
11 to 25 times 69
26 to 50 times 15
51 to 100 times 10
More than 100 times 13
Total Responses 1,252

2. During calendar year 2000, on what percentage of your agency’s requests was the FBI able to provide criminal investigative assistance?

Available Answer Number of
Responses
0 times 500
1 to 10 times 200
11 to 25 times 41
26 to 50 times 65
51 to 100 times 148
More than 100 times 279
Total Responses 1,233

3. During calendar year 2004 (January 2004 to the present), how many times did your agency request criminal investigative assistance from the FBI?

Available Answer Number of
Responses
0 times 480
1 to 10 times 648
11 to 25 times 60
26 to 50 times 27
51 to 100 times 14
More than 100 times 17
Total Responses 1,246

4. During calendar year 2004, on what percentage of your agency’s requests was the FBI able to provide criminal investigative assistance?

Available Answer Number of
Responses
0 times 481
1 to 10 times 178
11 to 25 times 45
26 to 50 times 72
51 to 100 times 148
More than 100 times 305
Total Responses 1,229

Impact of FBI’s Shift in Priorities:

Questions 5 through 8 asked respondents to indicate the impact the FBI’s shift in priorities had on their investigative operations for certain investigative areas. For each of these questions, respondents were provided with a scaled response ranging from -5 (Very Negative Impact) to +5 (Very Positive Impact). Specifically, an answer of “-5” indicated that an agency had been significantly impaired by the FBI’s shift in priorities. For example, an agency experienced severe difficulty in handling the type of investigation listed. In contrast, a response of “+5” signified that an agency had benefited from the FBI’s shift in priorities, such as an agency significantly enhancing its operations to successfully address the investigative area in question. An answer of “0” indicated that an agency had continued to operate as it had prior to the FBI’s reprioritization and had experienced no change. Finally, a reply of “N/A” denoted that the agency had no involvement in a particular investigative area during the last three years.


5. What impact, if any, has the FBI’s shift in priorities during the last three years had on your agency’s law enforcement efforts in addressing each of the following types of investigations?

  Number of Responses
Available
Answer
Computer Crime
Investigations
Drug
Investigations
Organized Crime
Investigations
-5 (Very Negative
Impact)
12 9 11
-4 3 7 9
-3 10 10 14
-2 24 16 19
-1 31 25 20
0 747 831 738
1 38 31 22
2 27 22 19
3 36 31 23
4 16 14 8
5 (Very Positive
Impact)
37 17 11
N/A 253 225 344
Total Responses 1,234 1,238 1,238

  Number of Responses
Available
Answer
Terrorism-Related
Investigations
Violent Crime
Investigations
White-Collar Crime
Investigations
-5 (Very Negative
Impact)
4 5 9
-4 3 5 10
-3 1 13 21
-2 4 18 32
-1 4 27 34
0 542 792 747
1 60 31 37
2 78 34 41
3 83 35 31
4 59 19 14
5 (Very Positive
Impact)
117 23 18
N/A 279 234 237
Total Responses 1,234 1,236 1,231

6. What impact, if any, has the FBI’s shift in priorities during the last three years had on your agency’s law enforcement efforts in addressing each of the following violent crime areas?

  Number of Responses
Available
Answer
Bank Robberies Crimes Against
Children
Fugitives
-5 (Very Negative
Impact)
11 3 3
-4 8 1 2
-3 28 4 6
-2 35 6 17
-1 46 19 32
0 692 850 774
1 20 26 43
2 13 9 31
3 21 21 28
4 16 13 18
5 (Very Positive
Impact)
37 19 23
N/A 305 254 250
Total Responses 1,232 1,225 1,227

  Number of Responses
Available
Answer
Gangs Hate Crime Interstate
Transportation of
Stolen Motor
Vehicles
-5 (Very Negative
Impact)
1 1 5
-4 2 3 7
-3 5 3 5
-2 8 2 10
-1 23 14 18
0 764 809 763
1 29 21 21
2 27 18 11
3 15 12 11
4 7 4 7
5 (Very Positive
Impact)
12 8 6
N/A 337 324 363
Total Responses 1,230 1,219 1,227

  Number of Responses
Available
Answer
Interstate
Transportation of
Stolen Property
Major Theft
(>$10,000)
Motor Vehicle Theft
-5 (Very Negative
Impact)
6 9 4
-4 5 11 5
-3 6 6 4
-2 9 14 6
-1 24 34 26
0 773 803 869
1 18 20 19
2 10 10 9
3 10 10 6
4 4 9 5
5 (Very Positive Impact) 9 8 5
N/A 353 292 267
Total Responses 1,227 1,226 1,225

  Number of Responses
Available
Answer
Theft From
Interstate
Shipment
Violent Crimes
Against Persons
-5 (Very Negative
Impact)
5 5
-4 4 5
-3 3 9
-2 4 6
-1 21 31
0 752 818
1 14 31
2 7 26
3 5 19
4 5 9
5 (Very Positive
Impact)
2 23
N/A 404 242
Total Responses 1,226 1,224

7. What impact, if any, has the FBI’s shift in priorities during the last three years had on your agency’s law enforcement efforts in addressing each of the following white-collar crime areas?

  Number of Responses
Available Answer Environmental
Crimes
Financial
Institution Fraud
(< than $100,000)
Financial
Institution Fraud
(> than $100,000)
-5 (Very Negative Impact) 3 7 3
-4 2 10 7
-3 1 16 8
-2 2 22 17
-1 10 46 23
0 747 744 730
1 12 31 17
2 8 21 13
3 2 13 7
4 1 3 1
5 (Very Positive Impact) 3 11 8
N/A 437 299 394
Total Responses 1,228 1,223 1,228

  Number of Responses
Available Answer Insurance Fraud Identity Theft Mortgage Fraud
-5 (Very Negative Impact) 3 12 5
-4 2 6 0
-3 7 21 2
-2 12 37 4
-1 21 49 18
0 800 711 755
1 18 63 11
2 7 40 1
3 1 27 2
4 3 7 2
5 (Very Positive Impact) 6 17 3
N/A 349 236 418
Total Responses 1,229 1,226 1,221

  Number of Responses
Available Answer Public Corruption Telemarketing and
Wire Fraud
-5 (Very Negative Impact) 3 12
-4 2 2
-3 5 11
-2 4 28
-1 12 28
0 750 729
1 16 36
2 6 17
3 5 11
4 4 6
5 (Very Positive
Impact)
6 10
N/A 409 334
Total Responses 1,222 1,224

8. What impact, if any, has the FBI’s shift in priorities during the last three years had on your agency’s law enforcement efforts in addressing each of the following types of organized crime/drug organizations?

  Number of Responses
Available
Answer
African
Organizations
Asian
Organizations
Caribbean
Organizations
-5 (Very Negative Impact) 3 2 2
-4 1 1 1
-3 2 5 2
-2 14 4 3
-1 14 14 6
0 676 685 683
1 13 22 15
2 6 4 4
3 7 9 4
4 2 5 2
5 (Very Positive Impact) 6 5 2
N/A 479 468 496
Total Responses 1,223 1,224 1,220

  Number of Responses
Available
Answer
Central/South
American
Organizations
Eurasian and
Russian
Organizations
La Cosa Nostra/
Italian
Organizations
-5 (Very Negative Impact) 2 3 3
-4 1 0 0
-3 2 6 5
-2 7 8 5
-1 14 17 10
0 683 684 685
1 23 16 9
2 5 6 2
3 6 4 1
4 1 3 1
5 (Very Positive Impact) 10 5 1
N/A 468 473 501
Total Responses 1,222 1,225 1,223

  Number of Responses
Available
Answer
Mexican
Organizations
Other Major
Criminal
Organizations
-5 (Very Negative Impact) 5 3
-4 4 3
-3 8 5
-2 16 8
-1 26 23
0 665 715
1 31 17
2 8 6
3 14 12
4 4 4
5 (Very Positive
Impact)
14 10
N/A 429 415
Total Responses 1,224 1,221

Joint (Non-Task Force) Investigations with the FBI:

9. During calendar year 2000, approximately how many joint (non-task force) investigations did your agency work with the FBI?

Available Answer Number of
Responses
0 investigations 661
1 to 10 investigations 502
11 to 25 investigations 37
26 to 50 investigations 9
51 to 100 investigations 6
More than 100 investigations 4
Total Responses 1,219

10. Comparing calendar years 2000 to 2004, rate the change, if any, in the number of your agency’s joint (non-task force investigations with the FBI.

Available Answer Number of
Responses
Significant decrease (greater than 25%) 51
Moderate decrease (10% to 25%) 34
Slight decrease (less than 10%) 50
No change 922
Slight increase (less than 10%) 88
Moderate increase (10% to 25%) 43
Significant increase (greater than 25%) 24
Total Responses 1,212

11. During calendar year 2000, approximately how many joint (non-task force) investigations did your agency work with the FBI in each of the following general investigative areas?

  Number of Responses
Available Answer Computer Crime Investigations Drug Investigations Organized Crime Investigations
0 894 889 1,030
1-10 276 267 141
11-25 11 17 4
26-50 3 10 2
50-100 1 1 1
More than 100 5 5 3
Total Responses 1,190 1,189 1,181

  Number of Responses
Available Answer Terrorism Related Investigations Violent Crime Investigations White-Collar Crime Investigations
0 1,006 895 896
1-10 149 255 265
11-25 10 19 11
26-50 2 8 3
50-100 3 3 0
More than 100 4 7 5
Total Responses 1,174 1,187 1,180

12. Comparing calendar years 2000 to 2004, rate the change, if any, in the number of your agency’s joint (non-task force) investigations with the FBI in each of the following general investigative areas.

  Number of Responses
Available Answer Computer
Crime
Drug
Investigations
Organized Crime
Investigations
Significant Decrease (> 25%) 14 30 14
Moderate Decrease (10%‑25%) 17 18 11
Slight Decrease
(< 10%)
42 33 27
No Change 1,004 1,041 1,087
Slight Increase
(< 10%)
69 41 31
Moderate Increase
(10%-25%)
32 23 11
Significant Increase (> 25%) 10 6 3
Total Responses 1,188 1,192 1,184

  Number of Responses
Available Answer Terrorism Related Investigations Violent Crime Investigations White-Collar Crime Investigations
Significant Decrease (> 25%) 7 12 16
Moderate Decrease (10%-25%) 0 15 13
Slight Decrease
(< 10%)
8 40 41
No Change 948 1,035 1,048
Slight Increase
(< 10%)
117 61 58
Moderate Increase (10%-25%) 57 15 9
Significant Increase (> 25%) 50 9 3
Total Responses 1,187 1,187 1,188

Level of FBI Investigations in Your Agency’s Jurisdiction:

13. Comparing calendar years 2000 to 2004, rate the change, if any, you have observed in the level of investigations conducted by the FBI in your agency’s jurisdiction in each of the following general investigative areas.

  Number of Responses
Available Answer Computer Crimes Investigations Drug Investigations Organized Crime Investigations
Decrease 58 82 37
No Change 887 896 947
Increase 113 76 46
Uncertain 148 150 171
Total Responses 1,206 1,204 1,201

  Number of Responses
Available Answer Terrorism Related Investigations Violent Crime Investigations White-Collar Crime Investigations
Decrease 3 58 63
No Change 769 934 914
Increase 307 70 61
Uncertain 124 138 158
Total Responses 1,203 1,200 1,196

Availability of FBI Training:

14. Comparing calendar years 2000 to 2004, what level of change, if any, has your agency experienced in the availability of FBI training in the following areas?

  Number of Responses
Available Answer Counterterrorism Related Training Traditional Crime Related Training
Significant Decrease (> 25%) 7 27
Moderate Decrease (10%‑25%) 10 49
Slight Decrease (< 10%) 16 58
No Change 487 708
Slight Increase (< 10%) 146 96
Moderate Increase (10%‑25%) 186 60
Significant Increase (> 25%) 175 32
Not Applicable 182 183
Total Responses 1,209 1,213

Joint-Investigative Efforts with Other Federal Law Enforcement Agencies:

15. Comparing calendar years 2000 to 2004, rate the change, if any, in the number of joint (non-task force) investigations between your agency and the following federal law enforcement agencies.

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF)
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
Department of Health & Human Services (HHS)
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
U.S. Marshals Service (USMS)
U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS)
U.S. Secret Service (USSS)

  Number of Responses
Available Answer ATF ICE CBP HHS DEA IRS
Significant Decrease (> 25%) 8 10 14 3 7 4
Moderate Decrease (10%-25%) 11 7 13 3 9 5
Slight Decrease (< 10%) 19 9 23 7 41 14
No Change 641 697 620 748 616 753
Slight Increase (< 10%) 224 92 174 39 173 73
Moderate Increase (10%-25%) 68 33 74 15 95 14
Significant Increase (> 25%) 38 25 38 2 43 1
N/A 198 328 254 380 219 334
Total Responses 1,207 1,201 1,210 1,197 1,203 1,198

  Number of Responses
Available Answer USMS USPIS USSS
Significant Decrease (> 25%) 1 3 3
Moderate Decrease (10%-25%) 4 4 12
Slight Decrease (< 10%) 14 22 19
No Change 686 650 659
Slight Increase (< 10%) 129 186 180
Moderate Increase (10%-25%) 53 72 73
Significant Increase (> 25%) 28 30 26
N/A 282 234 230
Total Responses 1,197 1,201 1,202

16. During calendar year 2000, if your agency participated in any of the following federal task forces, approximately how many of your agency’s officers (Full-Time Equivalents) were assigned each task force and approximately how many investigations did the task force handle?

Text Response – No summary available

17. During calendar year 2004, if your agency participated in any of the following federal task forces, approximately how many of your agency’s officers (Full-Time Equivalents) were assigned each task force and approximately how many investigations did the task force handle?

Text Response – No summary available

18. Besides those federal task forces noted in Question 17, are there any other federal task forces that your agency participated in during calendar year 2004 but not during calendar year 2000?

Text Response – No summary available

General Questions About Your Agency:

19. What type of agency do you represent?

Available Answer Number of
Responses
Police Department 942
Sheriff’s Department 206
State Law Enforcement Agency 28
Tribal Law Enforcement Agency 9
Other (e.g., airport, railroad, harbor)
(Please specify)
32
Total Responses 1,217

20. As of January 1, 2000, how many sworn (on-board) officers did your agency have?

Text Response – No summary available

21. As of November 1, 2004, how many sworn (on-board) officers did your agency have?

Text Response – No summary available

22. Per the 2000 Census, what was the size of the population your agency represented?

Available Answer Number of
Responses
Less than 20,000 residents 711
20,000 to 50,000 residents 221
50,001 to 100,000 residents 94
100,001 to 250,000 residents 80
Over 250,000 residents 91
Total Responses 1,197

23. Compared to the 2000 Census, rate the change, if any, in the size of the population that your agency currently represents.

Available Answer Number of
Responses
Significant decrease (> than 15%) 16
Moderate decrease (5%-15%) 46
Slight decrease (< than 5%) 113
No change 312
Slight increase (< than 5%) 379
Moderate increase (5%-15%) 230
Significant increase (> than 15%) 98
Total Responses 1,194

24. As of January 1, 2000, approximately how much was your agency’s annual law enforcement budget, including federal financial assistance?

Text Response – No summary available

25. As of January 1, 2000, approximately how much federal financial assistance did your agency receive for law enforcement matters?

Text Response – No summary available

26. As of January 1, 2004, approximately how much was your agency’s annual law enforcement budget, including federal financial assistance?

Text Response – No summary available

27. As of January 1, 2004, approximately how much federal financial assistance did your agency receive for law enforcement matters?

Text Response – No summary available

28. Comparing calendar years 2000 to 2004, how significant was the change in the overall crime rate that occurred within your agency’s jurisdiction?

Available Answer Number of
Responses
Very significant decrease (more than 25%) 18
Moderately significant decrease (10%‑25%) 99
Slightly significant decrease (0‑10%) 228
No change 183
Slightly significant increase (0‑10%) 383
Moderately significant increase (10%‑25%) 159
Very significant increase (more than 25%) 39
Total Responses 1,109

29. Comparing calendar years 2000 to 2004, rate the change, if any, in the number of crimes experienced within your jurisdiction for each of the following categories.

  Number of Responses
Available Answer Bank Robberies Computer Crimes Drug Crimes Gang Related Crimes
Significant Decrease
(> 25%)
23 6 14 8
Moderate Decrease (10%-25%) 16 6 22 11
Slight Decrease (< 10%) 64 23 64 58
No Change 502 289 277 499
Slight Increase (< 10%) 132 343 326 164
Moderate Increase (10%-25%) 27 169 248 72
Significant Increase
(> 25%)
22 75 97 20
N/A 295 165 35 243
Total Responses 1,081 1,076 1,083 1,075

  Number of Responses
Available Answer Hate Crimes Major Thefts Organized Crime Public Corruption
Significant Decrease (> 25%) 12 7 2 1
Moderate Decrease (10%-25%) 7 30 3 3
Slight Decrease (< 10%) 26 96 14 19
No Change 657 408 596 581
Slight Increase (< 10%) 75 301 66 55
Moderate Increase (10%-25%) 16 126 14 12
Significant Increase (> 25%) 7 30 3 1
N/A 279 77 378 406
Total Responses 1,079 1,075 1,076 1,078

  Number of Responses
Available Answer Violent Crimes
Against Persons
White-Collar
Crime
Significant Decrease (> 25%) 21 2
Moderate Decrease
(10%-25%)
41 7
Slight Decrease (< 10%) 134 37
No Change 382 506
Slight Increase (< 10%) 321 217
Moderate Increase
(10%-25%)
98 80
Significant Increase (> 25%) 25 42
N/A 60 180
Total Responses 1,082 1,071

30. In what FBI field office jurisdiction is your agency located?

Available Answer Number of
Responses79
Atlanta 174
Chicago 205
Dallas 205
Denver 107
Detroit 218
Los Angeles 77
Miami 36
New Orleans 76
New York City 73
Phoenix 46
San Francisco 75
Washington, D.C. 20
Total Responses 1,312

31. With which FBI Resident Agency (RA) does your agency primarily work?

Text Response – No summary available

Additional Comments:

32. Describe the specific areas (if any) in which the FBI during the past three years changed the level of its: (1) working relationship with your agency, (2) information sharing with your agency, or (3) investigative assistance or support provided to your agency. In particular, consider the following areas when addressing your response: Organized Crime, Drugs, Violent Gangs, White-Collar Crime, Violent Crime, and Bank Robberies.

Text Response – No summary available

33. If possible, please provide specific examples or data that your agency may have to support your response to Question 32.

Text Response – No summary available

34. Describe the impact that the changes described in Question 32 have had on your agency’s ability to address criminal activity in your jurisdiction.

Text Response – No summary available

35. If applicable, please provide specific instances in which the FBI was unable to provide investigative assistance to your agency when it was requested over the past three years.

Text Response – No summary available

36. Describe the nature and extent of your law enforcement responsibilities, particularly in the following areas: Organized Crime, Drugs, Violent Gangs, White-Collar Crime, Violent Crime, and Bank Robberies.

Text Response – No summary available

37. What other comments would you like to provide that were not addressed in this survey?

Text Response – No summary available



Footnotes

  1. As previously noted, we received multiple responses from the same agency on a few occasions. The figures in this table reflect the actual number of responses received, including the multiple responses.



Previous Page Back to Table of Contents Next Page