59.

National Church Arson Task Force

The National Church Arson Task Force was formed in 1996 to investigate and prosecute the well-publicized arsons at houses of worship that had been reported to federal agencies since January 1, 1995. NCATF member agencies, both in Washington, D.C. and in judicial districts throughout the country, also have developed arson prevention and church rebuilding programs. The NCATF Operations Team is comprised of representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the Civil Rights Division and the Executive Office for United States Attorneys. Following the Attorney General's June 1996 memorandum stating that all arsons at houses of worship are cases of national interest, that the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights must approve all indictments in cases involving arsons at houses of worship and that NCATF Director Karla Dobinski must be consulted on all significant decisions in church arson prosecutions, the Operations Team developed a protocol for the investigation and prosecution of arsons at houses of worship. Copies of both the Attorney General's memorandum and the NCATF protocol are included in this section and have previously been distributed to all United States Attorneys' offices. Prosecutors from the NCATF and United States Attorneys' offices in the judicial district where an arson occurs will jointly staff investigations and prosecutions of arsons at houses of worship. NCATF prosecutors include trial attorneys from the Civil Rights Division, Criminal Section, and Assistant United States Attorneys on one-year details to the NCATF. The NCATF is located at 409 7th Street, N.W., Suite 4 and Suite 1B, in Washington, D.C. Director Karla Dobinski and other NCATF prosecutors can be reached at (202) 633-1130.