Full Name
Robert Cekada
Job Title
Deputy Assistant Director
Company
ATF
Speaker Bio
Robert Cekada was appointed as Deputy Assistant Director – Field Operations in January of 2022. He has operational and regulatory oversight of the 19 States located within the Central Region of the United States.
He previously served as the Special Agent in Charge of the Miami Field Division from January 2020 to January 2022, where he was responsible for oversight of all ATF criminal enforcement and regulatory operations in 21 offices located across southern Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Prior to that, he served as SAC of the Baltimore Field Division, overseeing criminal enforcement and regulatory operations in Maryland and Delaware.
Prior to that assignment, Mr. Cekada served as ASAC of the Philadelphia Field Division and then the Resident Agent in Charge of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force North in the Miami Field Division. He began his ATF career as a Special Agent in the Baltimore Field Division’s Hyattsville II Field Office, working on the Regional Area Gang Enforcement Task Force from 2005 to 2011. From there, he joined the Tampa Field Division for two years before reporting to ATF Headquarters in 2013, initially as a Project Officer in the Firearms Operations Division’s Frontline Branch, and then as a Program Manager serving as a special assistant to senior leaders.
Prior to joining ATF, Mr. Cekada served as a local Law Enforcement Officer with two agencies. From 1992 to 2000, he was a Police Officer with the New York City Police Department. After his promotion to Detective, he was assigned to the Housing Bureau, Citywide Anti-Gang Enforcement Unit, and the Street Crime Unit, focusing his efforts on gun violence attributed to gang activity. Mr. Cekada then joined the City of Plantation Police Department in Broward County, Florida, where he served with the Patrol Division and Special Weapons and Tactics Team from 2001 to 2005.
In April 2017, Mr. Cekada began serving as a member of the National Crime Gun Intelligence (CGI) Governing Board. He also serves as a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Firearms Committee, and the New York City Police Department Honor Legion. Throughout his career, he has been the recipient of many awards for merit, outstanding service, and investigative excellence from ATF, U.S. Attorney’s Offices, FLEOA, NYPD, City of Plantation Police Department, and more.
He previously served as the Special Agent in Charge of the Miami Field Division from January 2020 to January 2022, where he was responsible for oversight of all ATF criminal enforcement and regulatory operations in 21 offices located across southern Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Prior to that, he served as SAC of the Baltimore Field Division, overseeing criminal enforcement and regulatory operations in Maryland and Delaware.
Prior to that assignment, Mr. Cekada served as ASAC of the Philadelphia Field Division and then the Resident Agent in Charge of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force North in the Miami Field Division. He began his ATF career as a Special Agent in the Baltimore Field Division’s Hyattsville II Field Office, working on the Regional Area Gang Enforcement Task Force from 2005 to 2011. From there, he joined the Tampa Field Division for two years before reporting to ATF Headquarters in 2013, initially as a Project Officer in the Firearms Operations Division’s Frontline Branch, and then as a Program Manager serving as a special assistant to senior leaders.
Prior to joining ATF, Mr. Cekada served as a local Law Enforcement Officer with two agencies. From 1992 to 2000, he was a Police Officer with the New York City Police Department. After his promotion to Detective, he was assigned to the Housing Bureau, Citywide Anti-Gang Enforcement Unit, and the Street Crime Unit, focusing his efforts on gun violence attributed to gang activity. Mr. Cekada then joined the City of Plantation Police Department in Broward County, Florida, where he served with the Patrol Division and Special Weapons and Tactics Team from 2001 to 2005.
In April 2017, Mr. Cekada began serving as a member of the National Crime Gun Intelligence (CGI) Governing Board. He also serves as a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Firearms Committee, and the New York City Police Department Honor Legion. Throughout his career, he has been the recipient of many awards for merit, outstanding service, and investigative excellence from ATF, U.S. Attorney’s Offices, FLEOA, NYPD, City of Plantation Police Department, and more.
Speaking At
