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Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms U.S. Department of the Treasury 1972-2002

Birth of an Independent Bureau

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ATF badge from 1972 - 2002

Under the leadership of Director Rex Davis, ATF became an independent Bureau on July 1, 1972, and reported directly to the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Enforcement, Tariff and Trade Affairs, and Operations. 

This reflected important changes within ATF, moving from primarily the investigation of illicit alcohol to crimes involving firearms, explosives, and arson.  

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ATF Director Rex Davis

Over the next decade, ATF agents applied the ingenuity, experience, and investigative techniques they had used in alcohol investigations to pursue criminals who violated Federal firearms, explosives, arson, and tobacco laws.

Last Updated: January 17, 2025

ATF.gov

An official website of the U.S. Department of Justice

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