NCJ Number
166427
Journal
Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 24 Issue: 4 Dated: (April 1997) Pages: 28-32
Date Published
1997
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the 1993 raid on the Branch Davidian complex at Waco, TX, and subsequent actions by several Federal agencies.
Abstract
The Waco Police Department's public information officer at the time of the raid claims to be satisfied that the city and the police department did their best to deal with an unprecedented and unforeseeable series of events that could have occurred anywhere. She is upset by the Treasury report finding that senior Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms officials tried to cover up the fact that they had gone forward with the raid after being warned that the Branch Davidians' leader knew they were coming. She considers lying about making a mistake a violation of ethics. The Treasury report was candid and self-critical, however, and was followed by the naming of a new director and senior staff and a commitment to revamp training and procedures to prevent any future Wacos. The Justice Department recommended that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) be named the lead Federal agency in all complex barricade or hostage situations and that the FBI's Hostage Rescue Team be doubled in size to avoid fatigue in extended deployments. The Justice Department also issued new guidelines for dealing with situations like Waco.