John Lee

John P. Lee currently serves as a Program Manager in the Office of Liaison for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and has been assigned to ATF headquarters for the past two years. His current responsibilities are overseeing projects that involve major events, relationships with Federal, State and local agencies, and works closely with foreign embassies and other groups of importance to ATF. Before moving to the Office of Liaison, he served a year as a Congressional Liaison Officer, working with Congressional staffers and Members on legislation of interest to ATF.

John began his law enforcement career in 1982, joining the San Francisco Police Department. He worked as a patrolman for two years in a high crime area of the city, investigating and arresting violators of the California Penal Code. He left the department to finish his education, and in 1987, joined the Immigration and Naturalization Service as a Special Agent. John investigated and prosecuted criminal aliens, most of which were members of organized crime and street gangs.

In 1992, John transferred to ATF as a Special Agent and shortly there after began investigating such crimes as illicit firearms trafficking, international arms smuggling, bombings, and organized crime. He also served in a number of positions in ATF running operations (administration), and became a supervisor in 2001. Before John arrived in Washington D.C., he served as the Resident Agent in Charge of the Oakland Field Office for three years, supervising and directing criminal investigations involving violations of the federal firearms, arson and explosives laws.

John has been involved with diversity issues since the beginning of his career. His father was the first Asian Pacific American on the San Francisco Police Department, and he followed his father in working for the progression of Asians in law enforcement. He has held numerous leadership positions in the Northern California Asian Peace Officer's Association, the National Asian Peace Officer's Association, and the National Association of Asian American Law Enforcement Commanders before becoming its President.

Mr. Lee, a native of San Francisco, attended City College of San Francisco and received an Associate of Science degree in 1981. He also attended San Jose State University and received a Bachelor of Science degree in the Administration of Justice in 1985. He has received numerous awards for outstanding achievement in investigations and administration.

This page was last modified on July 22, 2008.