Washington ( CNN ) -- The man named one month ago to head the troubled Bureau of Alcohol , Tobacco , Firearms , and Explosives announced Wednesday he is dramatically shaking up the agency , which he readily acknowledged has been damaged by a controversial gun-trafficking operation . Acting Director Todd Jones said after 30 days of studying ATF issues and staff he is instigating a major shuffle of ATF personnel but is not yet firing anyone . Jones vowed a thorough internal review of `` all investigative processes . '' Jones announced 11 high-level changes , including naming as his deputy Thomas Brandon who has overseen the Phoenix office for the past six months following bitter internal controversy over a gun operation there . `` These have been difficult times for everyone in ATF because of a case in a division , '' Jones told reporters . He then quickly confirmed he was talking about the controversial `` Operation Fast and Furious '' in ATF 's Phoenix Division , which featured ATF agents allowing illegally purchased firearms to `` walk '' from Arizona gun stores across the Mexican border and into the hands of drug cartels . The plan was to trail the weapons to the cartels , but thousands of firearms were lost in the process . Jones also said he understood trust has been damaged within ATF and said it would take time to heal . `` We 're going to have to rebuild trust , '' he said , referring to the reputation of ATF from its own agents and from other law enforcement agencies . The issue blew up in December 2010 , when Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry was murdered , and two guns at the crime scene were part of the `` Fast and Furious '' operation . '' The continuing debate over who approved the operation and how soon top Justice Department officials knew of it is fueled in part by partisan politics . Some Republicans are clamoring for a special counsel to investigate whether Attorney General Eric Holder or any of his top political aides knew of the operation early on , and could have stopped it . Read up on Holder 's alleged role in the operation . Some Democrats , meanwhile , point to a similar `` gun-walking '' operation run out of the Phoenix Division 's sub-office in Tucson that began in 2006 under the Bush administration called Operation Wide Receiver . Some of the defendants in that case are still being prosecuted . Jones said he was confident there were no other operations which involved cases of `` guns walking . '' Jones sought to stay above the political fray . `` I 'm a political appointee , but I 'm not a politician , '' Jones told a dozen reporters at ATF headquarters in Washington . Jones insisted he had no view on the Republican-led congressional investigation . He lumped the two Arizona cases together and said the ATF now has a `` heightened awareness of the tactic allowing gun-walking . '' Sen. Chuck Grassley , R-Iowa and the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee , released a statement after Jones ' announcement saying , `` The reassignments are positive , especially in the case of Tom Brandon who I hope can help lead this agency out of its troubles . `` But , I caution that rearranging the chairs on the deck , wo n't make Fast and Furious go away . '' Grassley said he also questioned the timing of the announcement . `` There is a lot of effort at the Justice Department to spin the fact that the Attorney General was less than candid before the House Judiciary Committee , and what better way to make that go away than a bureaucratic shuffle , '' Grassley said in the statement . Jones was named to the position by Holder 30 days ago , when former Acting Director Ken Melson , under fire , was ousted and given a job as an adviser at the Justice Department . Jones said he plans to continue to wear two hats . He heads the ATF while also serving as U.S. attorney for Minnesota . He expressed confidence he can manage his time to serve in both capacities . The acting director sidestepped political issues but was clear in his caution to Congress not to slash the ATF budget because of the current controversy . `` I hope that does not happen . We 'll be smart about what we ask for , '' he said . Jones said he intended to refocus the ATF on its core mission of fighting violent crime and protecting the American public . He repeatedly said he would await the outcome of the ongoing congressional investigation of `` Fast and Furious , '' as well as the inspector general 's investigation before deciding whom to hold accountable . `` What went wrong ? I do n't know what went wrong , '' Jones said . `` We 'll have to wait for those reports . ''
ATF is laboring under the cloud of `` Operation Fast and Furious '' Firearms from the U.S. wound up in the hands of Mexican drug cartels . The acting director concedes `` these have been difficult times for everyone in ATF '' He announces a major shake-up , with 11 high-level changes .