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About The District Of Puerto Rico

This statement sets forth the general policy and priorities for the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Puerto Rico. This statement establishes the general principles and philosophy for the office, and will guide us in the performance of our duties as we strive to serve the community in this District to the best of our ability.

Mission Statement

The mission of this office is to enforce the laws and defend the interests of the United States in both criminal and civil matters, always using the highest professional and ethical standards. This office will protect and serve the citizens of the District of Puerto Rico through the vigorous and impartial enforcement of the laws of the United States. In so doing, we will defend national security, strive to improve the safety and quality of life in our communities, and protect the public funds and financial assets of the United States. We will maintain a courteous and professional working environment, and will seek to do justice in every matter, employing our utmost skills, and guided by principles of honesty and integrity.

Philosophy

We will treat others with the same trust and respect that we expect for ourselves. Our mutual trust and respect is a reflection of our dedication to the mission. Each employee is an indispensable member of our team, and we all share a common goal in the pursuit of justice and service to this community. We are all tasked with difficult challenges. A united front will guarantee that we accomplish our goals and meet the expectations of the community. We must work tirelessly and encourage others on our team to accomplish the mission with enthusiasm and skill. Divisiveness, often caused by malicious gossip, adversely affect morale and will have a negative impact on the office's overall performance. It is through unity, trust and respect that we will best serve the community and achieve our goals.

Priorities

The President of the United States and the Department of Justice set the priorities to be followed by all United States Attorney's Offices. These priorities and key initiatives are:

  1. National Security Crimes;
  2. Violent Crimes;
  3. Financial Crimes;
  4. Crimes against Vulnerable Victims (children, elderly, protected classes, hate crimes).

As we implement the priority initiatives of the Department in our District, we will also focus our efforts on the specific problems and needs of our community. The priorities in the District of Puerto Rico closely match those set by the Department, and each employee is expected to support the investigation of the following:

  1. National Security Crimes;
  2. Drug Trafficking and Money Laundering Crimes;
  3. Violent Crimes;
  4. Financial and Corporate Corruption Crimes;
  5. Public Corruption Cases;
  6. Crimes Against Vulnerable Victims (children, elderly, protected classes, hate crimes);
  7. Health Care Fraud;
  8. Cyber Crimes;
  9. Immigration Crimes.

These general priorities should guide the work performed by each of our divisions, and our resource allocation decisions. The service we provide, in the end, will improve the quality of life of the U.S. citizens in Puerto Rico. This is the true measure of success for our efforts as public servants.

Updated June 30, 2015