Overview

The Critical Incident Response Group (CIRG) was established in 1994 to integrate tactical, negotiations, behavioral analysis, and crisis management resources into one cohesive structure to facilitate the FBI’s rapid response to critical incidents. As the Bureau’s mission has expanded over the years, so have CIRG’s responsibilities, but the premise behind its formation remains. Today, CIRG, which has a motto of Proventus Per Adparatus—Success Through Readiness—has grown into a “one-stop shop” that provides expertise in the following fields:

• Crisis management;
• Hazardous devices disruption;
• Crisis negotiations;
• Behavioral analysis and assessments;
• Strategic information dissemination;
• Tactical and technical operations;
• Ground and air surveillance;
• Aviation support;
• Special events management; and
• Rapid deployment logistics.

CIRG personnel are on call around the clock, seven days a week, ready to assist FBI field divisions and law enforcement partners in pre-crisis planning and response to critical incidents, major investigations, and special events. Through the Strategic Information Operations Center (SIOC), CIRG also facilitates enterprise-wide situational awareness and maintains a platform for critical interface and the dissemination of strategic information. In addition, CIRG provides training programs to FBI field offices and federal, state, local, and international law enforcement partners. With aggressive training programs, state-of-the-art equipment, and expertise in a broad range of tactical and investigative techniques, CIRG is capable of fulfilling its overall mission of “Readiness, Response, and Resolution” to manage critical incidents.