GAO urges DOJ to tighten training and misconduct rules for nonfederal task force officers

The Government Accountability Office released a report in April 2026 recommending that four Department of Justice components - ATF, DEA, FBI and the U.S. Marshals Service - update their policies for nonfederal task force officers. GAO issued seven recommendations, including requiring initial training on federal legal authorities before officers use their deputation authority and developing field-manager guidelines for adjudicating misconduct allegations.

GAO found that ATF, DEA and FBI allow nonfederal officers to participate in task-force operations, such as serving warrants, before completing the initial task-force officer training that covers federal authorities and policies. The agency noted that requiring training prior to deployment would align officer actions with the intent of the training and reduce the risk of operating without a full understanding of federal powers.

The report also identified that, while all four components require federal supervision of nonfederal officers and reporting of misconduct allegations, they lack explicit guidelines and criteria for field managers to apply when adjudicating those allegations. GAO warned that the absence of such standards could lead to inconsistent decisions and undermine public confidence in task-force integrity.

The Department of Justice responded that it agrees with all seven GAO recommendations. Each recommendation remains listed as "Open," and the agencies have not yet reported specific actions taken to implement the suggested policy changes.

GAO will continue to monitor the components' progress in revising policies and establishing the recommended guidelines. Implementation of the training and misconduct-adjudication standards is expected to occur after the agencies finalize their policy updates.