TheFederalBureauofInvestigation

SavannahBeckham

EnglishIIIStandardPd.3

Mr.Piatak

February23,2017


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TheprimarydirectiveoftheFederalBureauofInvestigation(FBI)includesprotecting

eachandeverycitizenoftheUnitedStatesatalltimes.Eachfieldandteamgoesthroughevery

daywithonegoaltoservejustice.ThegoaloftheFBIistobringdownentireorganizations,not

justarrestselectindividuals.(WhatWeInvestigate)TheFBIintriguespeopletoseegoodinthe

worldandtoopeneyestofindlightinthedarkness.ThroughoutitshistorytheFBIhasgrown

tomeettheneedsofthepeopleitserves.TofullyunderstandwhatcontinuestomaketheFBI

suchanhonorablegovernmentagency,onemustlookintothehistoryofthebureau,the

educationalrequirements,andthenumerousFBIcareersandlevelsofservice.

CharlesJ.BonapartecreatedtheFBIonJuly26,1908,andbecamethefirstdirectorof

theFBI.ThefirstFBIheadquartersresidedat935PennsylvaniaAvenueNWinWashingtonD.C.

PresidentTheodoreRooseveltoversawtheoperationcomeintoplay.Thespecialagentsforming

theFBIchosetoprotectandsacrificefortheircountry,andthesea gentsgotpickedverycarefully

bytheamountofexperiencetheyhadinlawenforcement.Majorcrimessuchasnationalbanking

fraud,landfraud,variousformsofenslavement,andextortionattractedthemostattentionofthe

agentsintheearlyyearsoftheFBI(Heller).

OnSeptember4,2013JamesB.ComeybecametheseventhdirectoroftheFBI.He

attendedandgraduatedfromTheWilliamandMaryCollege,andfollowingthat,heattendedthe

UniversityofChicagoforlawschool.ComeysoonbecametheUnitedStatesattorneyforthe

SouthernDistrictofNewYork,aswellastheEasternDistrictofVirginia.In2003,Comey

becamethedeputyattorneygeneralattheDepartmentofJustice(DOJ).Comeysoonleftthe

DOJin2005toprovidehisserviceasgeneralcounselandseniorv icepresidentatdefense

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contractorLockheedMartin.Fiveyearslater,hebecameapartofBridgewaterAssociates(a

Connecticutbasedinvestmentfund)asgeneralcounsel.Underthedirector,8branchesexist

whichincludetheFBIIntelligenceBranch,theFBINationalSecurityBranch,theFBI'S

Criminal,Cyber,Response,andServicesBranch,theFBIScienceandTechnologyBranch,the

FBIInformationandTechnologyBranch,andtheFBIHumanResourcesBranch(Heller).

TobecomeanagentintheFBI,onemustholdabachelororgraduatedegreeineither

criminaljustice,finance,accounting,foreignlanguages,engineering,orsomesortofscienceto

qualify.PeoplehiredwiththeFBI,however,usuallyhavemastersdegreesorgraduateeducation.

Agentsalsomustagebetween2337,andcitizensoftheUnitedStates.Oftentimes,peoplewho

haves ervedinthemilitaryarehiredwiththeFBIbecausetheyalreadypossesssomeofthe

neededskillsandtraining.Dependingonthefield,differentsalariescouldbeearned.Agentscan

oftenearnahighersalaryiftheyareworkingindangeroussituations,workingextendedhours,

orhavetotravelforwork.ThestartingsalaryforanFBIspecialagentrangesfrom$53,743to

$58,335,andduringthe16weektrainingperiod,theagentsmakea$43,705salary(Training).

ThemostrecognizedjobsintheFBIoccupyfieldjobs.Asidefromthesejobs,however,

themajorityofFBIagentsworkinvariouspositionsawayfromthefield.Thesejobscaninclude

labwork,forensics,surveillance,andcriminalinvestigation.Onaverage,thosewhowork

outsideoftheofficeandsubjectthemselvestodangerwillmakeahighersalarythanthosewho

workinanofficejob.AlargeportionofthemodernFBIisbasedontechnology,somanyjobs

includethisareaoftheFBI(Heller).

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TheFBIincludesquitedifferentactivitiesfromotherlawenforcementagenciessuchas

theCentralIntelligenceAgency(CIA),theNationalSecurityAgency(NSA),theUnitedStates

military,and

localpolicedepartments.WhilealloftheseagenciesexisttoprotectthecitizensoftheUnited

StatesofAmerica,theyallfilldifferentroleswithinthepublicsafetyrealm.Agencieslikethe

CIAandtheNSAaimtoprotecttheUnitedStatesfromforeignthreatsandterrorism,whilethe

FBIhasmanythingsincommonwithpolicedepartments,exceptonanationalscale.TheFBI

oftenreceiveshighprioritycasesfromthepolicewhenthepolicedepartmentsfailtosolvethe

casesordonotpossesstheresourcestodoso.

Theacademycanb elocatedabout36milesoutofWashingtonD.C.ThenationalFBI

trainingfacilityprovidesconferencerooms,classrooms,dorms,gym,pool,library,dininghall,

firingrange,andmuchmore.InFBItrainingagentslearnaboutFirearms,theTacticaland

EmergencyVehicleOperationsCenter(TEVOC),BasicSurvivalS
kills,andLawEnforcement

ExecutiveDevelopment.Eachplaceandtrainingprogramsactasadesignedtogivetheagent

thebestwaystotrain,butalsoshowshowtostaysafewhileonthejob.Newagentsstartoutat

thebasictrainingandthendeparttothespecificfieldofworkchosen.Thebasicfieldtraining

course(BFTC)providesagentswiththesteppingstonestobecomebestatthejobtheychoose.

Mentalstateisoneofthemainproblemswithagentshavinggoodmoralewhileworkingin

theFBI.ThroughouttimeFBIagentshavedealtwithnotonlymentalbutalsophysicaltrauma.

Whetherjetlag,orwitnessingadeathhappenrightinfrontofthem,havingajobintheFBIseems

likedream,orsometimesevenanightmare.Eachdaynotknowingwhethersafetyisaconcern,or

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ifjusticebecomesamiss.A
gentsmustResistthethoughttoturnbackandstickwiththeirtraining

evenw
hentheirlifeisindanger.

TherearemultiplejobsintheofficeandoutinthefieldwiththeFBI.Fieldjobsinclude

profilers,privateinvestigators,surveillancespecialists,linguists,intelligenceanalysts,behavioral

analysts,andviolentcrimeanalysts.EachofthesejobssolvesapieceofapuzzlethatisanFBI

case.TheofficejobsintheFBImakeitpossibletotrackdowncriminalswithoutdirectly

pursuingthem,thesejobsincludetechnicalanalysts,forensiclabworkers,Interrogators,

administrativespecialists,governmentinformationspecialists,humanresourcesspecialists,

informationmanagementspecialists,andmanagementandprogramanalysts.Thesejobsmakeit

easyforfieldagentstotellwhatmighthappen,whattodo,andhowtohandlethesuspect.

FBIagentscompletespecifictrainingtoconducttheissueineachproblem.Eachagent

notonlytrainsintheirfield,butlivesit.Everyagentprovidestheirknowledgedependingonthe

case.InthevariouscasesthattheFBIhandlestheteamsandagentsarechosenontheirfieldof

training.Forexampleacybercrimewouldfocusonthetechnicalanalyststocrackthecase

beforethearrest.Agentsmusthavepatienceandtheabilitytoworkunderpressureduetothe

tighttimelimitbeforethecasegetsworse.Everyagentmustbereadytoleaveforanewcaseat

alltimes.Someevenpacktogobagsandkeepthemintheircarforwhenthattimecomes.

TheFBIsolvesnotonlycases,buttheyalsoprovidearangeofservicesandresourcesto

helpandprotectthecitizensoftheUnitesStates.Theresourcesprovidedareextensiveand

variedthroughouttheFBISstaffandagents.CriminalJusticeservicesforexamplecriminal

backgroundchecksbeforehiredbyanemployer.TheFBIhelpsthoseingrievingaswellas

returningthosewhohavepassedtofamilies,informingthefamilyaboutthesituation,warning

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thepublic,andprovidingsafetyattheendofthecasewithprogramslikewitnessprotection.

Theyprovidehelpforvictimsandotherpeopleinvolvedincaseso nhowtocopeandrecover

froma tragedy.

ThepeopleintheFBIholdthebureautogether.Theknowledge,leadership,care,and

integrityofeachindividualkeeptheinvestigationsafloat.Holdingabout36,000employeesin

comparisontheFBIismoreofasmallorganization.AlthoughtheFBIrunsabackgroundcheck,

anyoneiswelcometotryoutforthejob,meaningtheFBIwantsthebestfortheAmerican

citizensbecausetheygiveequalopportunitiesandbasetheiremploymentchoicesuponwhat

theyseeinaspecificcandidateStartingoutsigningupfortheFBIisdifficult,notimpossible.If

convictingafelony,criminalrecorddrugabuse,orfailedtoshowupforcourtcanruininthe

chancesofbecominganagent.Manycareersmakeithardtochoosewhengoingthroughthelist.

Careersincludetechnology,foreignlanguage,policeforce,surveillance,intelligenceanalysts,

andsomuchmore.

TheFBIprovidesawidevarietyoflawenforcementandintelligencewithineachbranch.

Frommakingarreststosearchinghomeseveryoneknowstobeanagentyoumustbeserious

aboutitandwillingtogetthejobdone.Thedivisionsandofficesprovideinformationtodeal

witheachcasethatcomesin.Theindividualdivisionsprovideknowledgeabouttheirtopicto

providedetailstohelpeachindividualcase.

CollegessuchasAppalachianStateUniversity,SaintAnselmcollege,andGeorge

WashingtonUniversityallacquiregreatcriminaljusticeprogramswithgreatreputations.Other

collegesmayletastudentattendunderanothercollagesprogramforeasieraccessforthestudent

andcollegeitself.Surprisingly,criminaljusticeisthemostpopularcategoryforstudentsto

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majorinallofAmerica.SaintAnselmpreparesstudentsforlongtermemploymenthaving97%

of2014graduatesinaninternship,ingraduateschool,orvolunteering.AppalachianStateis

anotherwellknowncollegeforcriminaljusticehavingdifferentprogramssuchasPrelaw,

graduate,andundergraduate.GeorgeWashingtonUniversityprovidesthestudenttoattend

collegewhilehavingtheo pportunityofemployablepractice.GWUintertwineswiththeFederal

Governmentagenciesintheparentcitiesmakingiteasyformajorstofindconnections.

Themostimportanttaskofanagentfallsbetweenprotectingtheteam,aswellasthe

individualagent.Agentsgothroughthehardesttimeswiththeteamtheycallfamily.Whether

shot,heldhostage,tolate,orthesituationisgettingworse,eachteamstickstogether.Although

theindividualteamrequiresaleader,prohibitsthemnottohavegroupdiscussiononthenext

step.Themoretheteamwaitsaround,theworseitgets.Teamworkandstrategiesholdtheteam

togethertoproceedontoanotherdayandanothercase.Eachindividualbranchrequiresateam,

forensic/crimelabifneeded,FBIcars,andlocationsforthetypeofcase.

AnyonecouldapplyfortheFBI,yetsomehaveitintheirblood.Someonewhohasalaw

enforcementbackgroundw
ouldfitinaspotasanagent,aswellasanotherwithalovefor

adventure.Carryingagun,badge,anddrivingapolicecarcontinuetobehalfthefunpart.

Lovingtheexcitementofanewexperience,thelovingrelationshipofthejob,thepeopleremains

therest.TheadrenalinethatflowsthroughoutthejobincludesthedarkestpartsofbeinganFBI

agent.Oncall24/7toproceedinthejoblovedthemostisoneofthebestanddifficultpartsof

choosingFBItomajorin.Trainingfitsinasanimportantjobaswellastheknowledge.

Spendingweekstraininginsafedriving,shooting,situationsthatm
ayoccurcanbedifficultand

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verypressuringwhenthetimecomestousethatpartoftraining.P
atrolcommanderKevinTatur

standsbesidetheopinionofcollegenothelpingwiththefieldworkintermsoftraining.

Nowdays,lawenforcementofficerscontinuetobetreatedpoorlybythepeopleandthe

atmosphere.TaturstatesTheatmosphereisok.Asapatrolcommander,Itrytotreattheofficers

thatworkwithmeasafamily.ThereasonwhyisIwantusalltogohomesafeeverynight.The

factofshootingswithpoliceortorturecandestroyeverythinglawenforcementworksontokeep

citizenssafe.Eventhoughmuchofpeoplehateonpolice,whereasthegoodonesstandout.

Officersandagentsalwaysmustbeonthelookoutforthosebadeggs,makingsurenoharm

comesthatcouldbeeternal.Oncethedamageoccursitwillnevergobacktohowitwas.

Funeralshappeneverydayforfallenofficersinmemoryoftheirservicestoprotectandhonor.

Eachofficerbecomesrequiredtoworkcertainhoursanddaysdependingontheirjob.

Mostofthemremainoncall24/7atalltimeasbackuporassistanceinacase.Mostofficers

workparttime,asothersworkafullweek.Mostofficersandagentsmissbirthdays,holidays,

specialevent,deathsinthefamily,andevenduedatesofbirthsinthefamilyduetothehoursof

theirfield.Alotofthetimesanagentcangetoffwhentheirchildisbeingborn.Itiscleargoing

intothejobwhattheagentisinfor.IntheFBIjobcomesfirsttop rotectotherfamiliesbefore

theirown.Althoughwithsigningupforthejob,thefamilymustagreetoalwaysunderstandin

certainsituationstoprovidepeacetotheagent'smindandheartwhileonthejob.

TofullyunderstandwhatcontinuestomaketheFBIsuchanhonorablegovernment

agency,onemustlookintothehistoryofthebureau,theeducationalrequirements,andthe

numerousFBIcareersandlevelsofservice.ThehistoryoftheFBIhaschangedthroughoutthe

yearsforthebetter.ThosewhochoosetopursueacareerintheFBIwillfacemaychallenges,but

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fewjobsexistwhichhavehigherhonorthanajobintheFBI.FBIagentsstrivetoprotectour

countryanditscitizens.TheFBIplaysalargeroleinpublicsafetyandsafetyfromforeign

threats.Alongwithotherlawenforcementagencies,theFBIhelpstoachievethelevelof

nationalsafetyintheUnitedStates.Whilelocalpolicedepartmentscanhandlemostcases,

sometimescasesgethandedovertotheFBIforavarietyofreasons.TheFBIhasmuchmore

powerandresourcesthanlocalpolicedepartments,andtheFBIcantakeonmoredifficultcases

thanlocalpolicedepartmentscan.TheFBIremainsacrucialpartofthenationalfightagainst

crime,andtheskillsandresourcesthattheyhaveaccesstohardlycomparetootheragencies.Not

onlydoestheFBIworkwithinitsownroleinpublicsafety,buttheFBIalsoworkswiththe

NSA,theCIA,andlocalpolicedepartmentstosolvecases.IftheUnitedStatesdidnothavethe

FBI,itwouldbecomeasubjectforforeignanddomesticattacksthatpoliceandotherlaw

enforcementdonothavethejurisdiction,orabilitytofightthesethreats.TheFBImakesthe

UnitedStatesasaferplaceforitscitizens,andthatfactisinarguable.


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