ALCOAST 326/19 - OCT 2019 COAST GUARD INVESTIGATIVE SERVICE (CGIS) TRANSFER TO THE DEPUTY COMMANDANT FOR OPERATIONS (DCO) ENTERPRISE

R 211619 OCT 19
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC//CGIS//
TO ALCOAST
UNCLAS//N05320//
ALCOAST 326/19
COMDTNOTE 5320
SUBJ: COAST GUARD INVESTIGATIVE SERVICE (CGIS) TRANSFER TO THE
DEPUTY COMMANDANT FOR OPERATIONS (DCO) ENTERPRISE
1. This ALCOAST announces CGIS' transfer to the DCO enterprise.
2. CGIS came into existence in 1915 by the assignment of a "Chief Intelligence Officer"
at Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, DC; it remained relatively unknown to the
general public until the enactment of prohibition. From then on "Coast Guard Intelligence"
grew in personnel and responsibility. In 1986, Coast Guard Intelligence was split and
"Coast Guard Investigations" was formed. In 1996, Coast Guard Investigations was replaced
by the present-day title "CGIS."
3. CGIS is a federal law enforcement agency whose law enforcement authority is derived
from Title 14 of the United States Code. This authority provides for Coast Guard special
agents to conduct investigations of actual, alleged or suspected criminal activity; carry
firearms; execute and serve warrants; and make arrests. Importantly, CGIS was constructed
based on the absolute necessity for investigative independence that mirrored the statutes
that create the various inspector general offices. Today, CGIS is comprised of a mix of
active duty military special agents (enlisted and warrant officer), civilian special
agents (1811 series), and special agents who are members of the Coast Guard Reserve (all
reserve agents are required to be active duty law enforcement agents in their full time
careers). These agents along with support personnel are spread out across the United States
in eight regional offices and 35 Resident Agent offices along with CGIS-HQ located in
Washington, DC.
4. CGIS is a dual mission organization with the responsibility and authority to investigate
all felony crimes committed inside the Coast Guard as well as any crime committed on
navigable waterways. This dual mission means that while 35 percent of CGIS' work is under
the Uniform Code of Military Justice and done at the request of various commands,
65 percent of its work is general criminal investigations of crime on the water. Since its
inception, CGIS has been an increasingly important element and contributor to Coast Guard
operations. However, in recent years CGIS was not structurally integrated into the
operational organization of the Coast Guard. Furthermore, CGIS was not adequately staffed
to request the resources it needed to execute its expanding missions commensurate with the
key role it plays in supporting operations.
5. To best meet the contemporary demands placed on CGIS, the Vice Commandant directed
movement of this operational force into DCO so that the CGIS Director could operate at the peer
level with DCO Assistant Commandants. Such placement allows the DCO organization to fully
employ its staff to identify and advocate for resources for CGIS. Likewise, this move
permitted DCO to ensure CGIS is integrated with the traditional lines of operations
throughout the Service.   
6. This organizational placement initiates a change to whom CGIS reports to and also adds
significantly to the span of control for DCO. In his direction for this organizational
enhancement, Vice Commandant stated, "We will work through this new organization structure,
learn as we go, and I am sure the Coast Guard and CGIS will be stronger as a result."
7. SES Michael Berkow, Director of CGIS, sends.
8. Internet release is authorized.