Strategic Plan — Fiscal Years 2000–2005
As ATF begins the 21st century, our strategic plan lays a path for our future. Over the past few years we have seen ATF rapidly develop new ways to use science, technology, information management, and creative enforcement strategies to refocus our efforts. As the Nationâs experts in alcohol, tobacco, firearms, explosives, and arson, we have focused our efforts around key strategies that arise from common themes through the laws we enforce:collecting the revenue, protecting the public, and fighting violent crime.
We have used our strategic plan to set strategic goals and annual performance targets since 1994. The positive results of our joint efforts have been well documented in the annual ATF Accountability Reports and the favorable audit opinions of external review teams. This plan has served us well in that it has enabled us all to focus on reaching common goals, and has helped us to explain the value and impact of the wideranging law enforcement services we provide to the American public in making our economy sound and our society safer.
Over the past 6 years, we have undertaken a series of important changes in our organizational structure and in work processes in order to attain greater levels of results from the resources received. More and more our work is becoming information-driven. Crime gun tracing information helps focus our regulatory and investigative efforts in more productive ways, and a consolidated National Revenue Center provides the foundation for more effective utilization of tax return information to target inspections. We operate in a rapidly changing environment and we must keep pace with that change. Our collective attitude toward change must remain positive in order for the results to be positive. As a specialized law enforcement agency, our ability to adapt to change will serve as a chief source of our strength and ability to provide value to the American public.
A strategic plan is only a plan. It takes the combined talents of agents, inspectors, chemists, auditors, and other employees to turn a plan into action. The men and women of ATF have demonstrated time and again the ability to professionally meet any challenge. Together; ATFâs professionals will accomplish our vision for a sound and safer America.
Bradley A. Buckles
