From the ATF website:
However, because of the potential misuse of explosive materials, ATF’s role plays a vital role in regulating and educating the explosives industry and in protecting the public from inadequate storage and security.
The ATF role plays a vital role?
I sometimes mock the ATF but my interaction with them, on the whole, has been pleasant enough. I do want the storage of Boomershoot reactive targets to be theft and bullet resistant and their contribution to making that a reality was significant. I wouldn’t go so far as to say it was “vital” but it certainly was more than role playing.
Around here, the ATF plays a significant role whenever bomb-making hoarders are discovered.
I don’t know what a “bomb-making hoarder” is but I am very aware of the expertise they have in the area of illegal explosives and law enforcement regarding explosives.
“bomb-making hoarder” = people who hoard explosives in their houses to the point they could easily blow up the neighborhood. Like this guy: http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/Bomb-House-to-Burn-Today–111592124.html
And you have a lot (or even more than one) in your neighborhood?
And I’m not sure what that has to do with the amusing typo in the ATF website.
Yikes! I read it too fast and didn’t notice the typo.
I would agree their explosives group is the best in law enforcement and their dogs and handlers are as good as any group in the world.
And yet this country was founded and it existed, and I dare say thrived, becoming that Shining Light on the Hill, for many generations before there was any such thing as a BATFE. The Bureau is the direct result of the disaster known as Prohibition, which lingers with us today like a very bad hangover that won’t go away.
On their best days I regard them as somewhere between a benign tumor and parasite in a symbiotic relationship with humans.
My opinion of them on their worst days would have the NSA forwarding my comments to the Thought Police.