In parallel development to the founding of the C.O.I. (Coordinator of Information) in July of 1941, the federal government also formed C.A.P.E. (Central Authority on Praternormal Endeavors). Like the COI (which later became the OSS and later still the CIA) it was initially little more than an information gathering and disbursing organization. It cooperated with other state, local, and federal agencies by collecting, collating, and providing information dealing exclusively with metahumans and mystery men-both foreign and domestic.

In June of 1942, having perceived a need for an action oriented organization as well, CAPE was subdivided into an Intelligence and Operations branches. The Intlligence branch continued in the capacity of CAPE's previous mission, that of an information storehouse. The new Operations branch was was initially meant to serve overseas as a branch of the OSS, but the reality of foreign supers on American soil soon caused them to apply for a form of Federal Marshall status wihin the U.S.A.

After WWII, CAPE was transferred from the War Department to the Justice Department where it has remained ever since.

Today CAPE exists as the federal government's special crime-fighting force dedicated to addressing inter-jurisdictional crimes committed by criminal masterminds, terrorists, and superbeings. CAPE frequently works in conjunction with other federal agencies such as the FBI and the DEA. Typically interjurusdictional crime is handled by the FBI, but CAPE specialzes in supercrime, which is where the FBI draws the line.

CAPE can also be called in to advise and assist with local law enforcement investigations at their behest. CAPE is an emergency responder -- 911 dispatch operators will contact the agency when praeternormals are reported or suspected to be involved.   

Though CAPE is primarily a civilian agency, under the Department of Justice, in times of war CAPE personnel can be called for military duty, in a fashion similar to how the U.S.Coast Guard operates under the Department of Transportation during peacetime, yet by order of the President can operate as a service of the U.S. Navy. CAPE organization, however, is civilian rather than military, and CAPE is made up of both civilians and military personnel on detached duty.   

CAPE is the one of the smallest of the federal law enforcement agencies -- there are less than two thousand armed agents capable of making arrests, compared to over seventy thousand FBI agents.  What sets CAPE apart from other federal agencies is extensive training and high-tech equipment.