Quote:
Originally Posted by Icelander
The [URL="http://shsucj.blogspot.com/2014/03/real-talk-wcj-deputy-us-marshal-robert.html"]
(SNIP)
In light of this new incident, I'm sure that at least one and possibly two task forces will be created.
Will anything change about the lead agency?
What is the response from the Texas Department of Public Safety going to be?
What is the highest ranking TxDPS officer involved going to be?
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Given that this involves people traveling across not just state lines, but national borders (the shooters came up from Mexico, IIRC), as well as out into international waters to commit crimes, the lead agency will be the FBI. Quite likely, they'll send a special agent from Washington, D.C., to lead the task force, just so the local agents can focus on the investigation and not have to worry about administrative mickeymouse.
Because it does involve shipping in U.S. territorial waters, the U.S. Coast Guard will have a liaison on the task force, as will the U.S. Marshalls (manhunts across state lines). The Texas Dept. of Public Safety will send someone to make sure the Rangers coordinate the investigation that extends across jurisdictions, in Texas (and to keep the Rangers in the loop).
The police and the sheriff will both work on the task force, but jurisdictional squabbles won't come from them. Galveston is not that big a place, they're in over their heads, and they know it.
The governor will send someone from his office (maybe even the lieutenant governor, if they get along) and the congresscritters will want to remain fully apprised of everything that happens. A liaison appointed by the FBI to assist the special agent with such matters would probably be enough for the congressional delegation, as long as said liaison remained both forthcoming and reachable.
Do expect every congresscritter to insist on a visit and a personal briefing -- with a press conference, afterwards.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas will probably send at least a couple of experienced lawyers. The U.S. Attorney will act as the lead prosecutor for most of these cases and, given the high profile, he won't tolerate any procedural f***-ups that might cost him convictions.
As for the sorta "fast-and-loose" stuff done so far, the PCs involved in law enforcement should get a moderate reaming, which will include a "no we're really not kidding" warning that the reaming for any future deviations will involve a deep-core drilling Derrick, and result in an unhappy future as a paper-pushing desk-jockey with no hope of career advancement. Ever.