Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

Legal Attaché Offices
935 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Room 7350
Washington, DC 20535

Phone: 202-324-3000
Fax: none given
E-mail: none given
Internet: www.fbi.gov/contact/legat/legat.htm

The FBI maintains international offices in addition to its field offices across the United States. The FBI has more than fifty offices known as Legal Attachés, or "Legats," located around the world in U.S. embassies and consulates. Their goals are to stop foreign crime as far from American shores as possible and to help solve international crimes that do occur as quickly as possible. To accomplish these goals, Legats work with law enforcement and security agencies in their host country to coordinate investigations of interest to both countries. Some Legats are responsible for the following:

• Coordinating international investigations
• Covering international leads for domestic U.S. investigations
• Linking U.S. and international resources in critical criminal and terrorist areas that better ensure the safety of the American public here and abroad
• Coordinating FBI training classes—on everything from counterterrorism and cybercrime matters to forensic techniques to human trafficking and human rights violations—for police in their geographic areas

The purpose of Legats is coordination; they do not conduct foreign intelligence gathering or counterintelligence investigations. The rules for joint activities and information sharing are generally spelled out in formal agreements between the United States and the Legat's host country. The entire worldwide Legat program is overseen by a special agent in charge, located at FBI headquarters.