LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY

A 'law enforcement agency' ('LEA') is a term used to describe any agency that enforces the law. Most law enforcement agencies are police forces that have broad powers and a geographically defined jurisdiction. Other agencies, such as the Drug Enforcement Agency, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the United States are responsible for enforcing federal laws. The term generally has more resonance in the United States because police power is constitutionally a local or state-level power and therefore the enforcement of federal laws, or interstate law enforcement, is not considered policing. Even so, non-police law enforcement agencies exist outside of the US, such as Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs in the United Kingdom and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission. There are also international organizations that qualify as law enforcement agencies, such as Europol or Interpol, that attempt to coordinate transnational policing efforts, particularly by facilitating information-sharing across national jurisdictions.

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See also

See also

★ Code enforcement

★ List of law enforcement agencies

★ List of protective service agencies

★ List of secret police organizations