Offices

MISSION

Mission of the FBI is to protect and defend the United States against terrorist and foreign intelligence threats, to uphold and enforce the criminal laws of the United States, and to provide leadership and criminal justice services to federal, state, municipal, and international agencies and partners. In Poland the FBI collaborates with the Polish National Police Force, the Central Bureau of Investigation (Centralne Biuro Śledcze, CBŚ), and the Agency for Internal Security (Agencja Bezpieczeństwa Wewnętrznego, ABW) to resolve joint cases related to terrorism, money laundering, organized crime, violent crime, and fugitives. This collaboration exists not only in Warsaw but with Polish authorities throughout Poland.

INTERNATIONAL OFFICES

In addition to the office in Warsaw and its field offices across the U.S., the FBI has 51 offices known as Legal Attachés or "Legats" located around the world. These offices are manned by legal Attaches and Assistant legal Attaches. Legats are our first line of defense beyond our borders. Their goals are simple-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, each Legat works with law enforcement and security agencies in their host country to coordinate investigations of interest to both countries. Some Legats are responsible for coordination with law enforcement personnel in several countries. The purpose of these Legats is strictly coordination, cooperation and liaison; 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 in Washington, D.C.