National Bureau of Criminal Investigation
The Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (GNBCI) () - formerly known as the Central Detective Unit (CDU) () - is the main national criminal investigative branch of the Garda Síochána, the national police force of Ireland. The unit is responsible for the investigation of organised and serious crime on a national level. It was formed in 1997 with the amalgamation of a number of national and specialist investigation units. The Garda NBCI is headed by a Detective Chief Superintendent, who reports to the Assistant Commissioner in charge of Organised & Serious Crime. The bureau is headquartered at Harcourt Street, Dublin City, and operates throughout the country. Organization The Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation consists mainly of detectives, who are generally senior investigators, and is headed by an officer of Detective Chief Superintendent rank. The head of the Garda NBCI reports to the Assistant Commissioner in charge of Special Crime Operations, who reports directly to the Garda Commissioner. The NBCI was established on 21 January 1997, centralising other investigative branches around the country, as a response to the proliferation of serious and organised crime. Its predecessor was the Garda Central Detective Unit (CDU). Its main function is to provide