Bureau of Prohibition Act, March 3, 1927 (44 Stats. 1381)

The Prohibition Unit is reorganized into the Bureau of Prohibition.

General Lincoln C. Andrews, of World War I fame is appointed to the Assistant Secretary of the Treasury in charge of Prohibition in May of 1925. He assesses the current capabilities of the Prohibition Unit and in a 1927 Letter to the President of the Senate, states, "…This is a fair picture of the conditions today facing the executive department charged with the enforcement of the prohibition laws. Conspiracies are nationwide in extent, in great numbers, organized, well financed, and cleverly conducted. No parallel of this situation exists in normal times. It is similar, rather, to war. Our efforts must be nationwide and as thoroughly organized. We are in particular need of a highly developed department of intelligence to keep the forces of society informed as to the personnel and methods used by the law breakers…"

He reorganized the Prohibition Unit into the Bureau of Prohibition and begins to professionalize the service, building a veritable army to fight organized crime.

Last Reviewed September 28, 2016