National Investigation Agency

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is a national law enforcement agency in Contopia. Currently, the agency is responsible for investigating serious and organised criminal offences, as well as matters of national security and counter-terrorism, but previously held a much wider range of responsibility, being seen as the one-stop-shop for all government investigative work. To that end the NIA where previously responsible for food hygiene ratings, animal welfare and professional misconduct in government agencies. Many of these functions have been removed, and given to other agencies, however, some still exist but differ in scope, for example the NIA still has an animal crimes unit. The NIA also run support teams to aid local law enforcement agencies.

Structure

The NIA is made up mostly of local teams that will launch investigations into areas falling under the NIA's remit and supporting local law Enforcement. Other more specialised units are also in place to respond to specific types of incidents or where specialist knowledge is needed. Local units are attached to certain operations or investigations, and all specialist units come under the direction of a Command, which is led by Command Agents, a Deputy Command Chief and a Command Chief. Commands are grouped into sections, each led by a section chief, that directly answers to the Director and Deputy Director.

Below is a non-exhaustive list of commands within the NIA and the specialist units underneath them

National Security Command

• Sensitive Sites Protection
• Military Investigations Unit
• Counter Espionage Unit

Counter Terror Command

• Radical Groups Unit
• CT Response Team
• Explosives Intelligence Unit

Vulrable Persons Command

• Crimes Against Children Unit
• Child Abuduction Rapid Response
• Human Trafficking Command

Organised Crime Command

• Gang Unit
• Smuggling Unit
• Animal Crime Unit
• Prison Unit

Profesional Standards Command

• Anti corruption
• Audit Unit
• Internal Affairs
• Vetting Unit

Public Agenda

The NIA is intended to provide investigative and Law Enforcement support to the Contopian Government and Law Enforcement Agencies. The agency also investigates serious and organised crime, as well as terrorism and threats to national security.

History

The NIA was initially created to fill any investigative capability that was needed by the Contopian government, serving more as the government private eye's than a law enforcement agency. Because of this, the agency has held many responsibilities that are quite alien to its current purpose, for example, the NIA, used to be responsible for assigning for ensuring food hygiene. Due to this broad range of responsibilities, the NIA has historically held an extremely high budget, and despite having funding almost halved more recently, it still remains the most well-funded Law Enforcement organisation on Dirt.
More recently the NIA has become more exclusively a Law Enforcement Agency, with less relevant features being given to other organisations. The NIA is now more focused on organised crime, terrorism and threats to national security. However some outlier duties such as providing bodyguards for government officials, investigating aircraft and maritime accidents and ensuring the security of nationally important infrastructure.
The NIA has played a part in many high-profile events in Contopia, and internationally. They have been known to have taken action during allegations of corruption in government, notably storming the Government Plaza and arresting many members of parliament and government officials, in what later became known as the Velo Coup or NIA coup.

Type

Government, Law Enforcement

Alternative Names

NIA

Ruling Organization

Contopia

Leader Title

Director

Subsidiary Organizations

• National Security Command

Related Historical Events

• 2016
  NIA 'coup'