Is the Coast Guard actually a law enforcement agency?
The Coast Guard on paper is called the "lead federal maritime law enforcement agency" and has a ton of missions relating to enforcing federal law. However as a layman, I don't fully understand what the Coast Guard identity is. Are they law enforcement?
- I have never seen Coast Guard personnel wearing "POLICE" uniforms or badges
- Unlike nearly every (if not all) local/state/and federal law enforcement officers, Coast Guardsmen don't seem to routinely carry firearms. I believe every other DHS LEO simply carries their firearms routinely instead of the more military style "We'll give you one if we think you need it"
- Unlike nearly every other local/state/federal law enforcement officer, Coast Guardsmen don't appear to have regular police powers. Federal law seems to only allow arrests on the high seas, and Coast Guard policy seems to be highly restrictive on who/what/when that authority can be used
- The only Coast Guard personnel with regular statutory police powers seems to be CGIS, which is ironically the "internal affairs" department of the Coast Guard
- The Coast Guard doesn't seem eligible for the TSA FLEO Fly Armed program
- Also unlike nearly every other Fed LEO, USCG personnel appear to have absolutely no off-duty arrest powers. So if a drug dealer pulled out a kilo of cocaine in front of a Coastie and a local cop, the local cop would be the only one who could arrest