If you could, would you become a FBI agent?

[!MASTERMIND!]

Just wondering. oh, and how do you become one?

[acreature]

No. Too much thinking :D

[bhanson]

I always preferred being a "real" cop, not a headline grabbing fake.

[!MASTERMIND!]

Makes sense

[Switchback]

Well, I thiink the above replies are a bit stereotypical. Like any agency, there are good agents and bad agents, there good aspects of the job and their are bad ones.

I considered jumping on board with them a couple years ago. They started fast-tracking me because of my degree. I backed out of the process before too long, however. I really enjoy violetn crime. Chances are, I would not be doing that if I were with the FBI (particularly with my degree). Their focus is continually changing, but only a small number of agents are working violent crimes and then you cannot stay in violent crimes too long if you want to advance in your career. To me, this was a big factor.

The FBI does have the opportunity for complex investigations. Then again, do does your run-of-the-mill OIG. I would say that, unlike most OIGS, however, that you would be hard pressed to find the potential for diversity. Customs would be the only other fed agency that I can think of that would handle such a diverse load of cases, while still having complex investigations.

While Customs and FBI are complex at an agency level, I don't know of any other fed that has the diversity of caseload at the agent level as us (the US marshals Service). I currently have cases for armed robbery, murder, felon in possession of handgun, narcots and child molesting. However, being fugitive investigations, they tned not to be too complex. We get to have more fu, thogh (kicking doors and such).

For recruiting by the FBI, check out their website. Generally speaking a good degree and work experience are required. Chances are, you'll not be getting hired right out of college.

[Johninaustin]

Never seriously considered it.

I have a good friend who is. She was a teacher before becoming an FBI agent.

10 years and she has yet to handcuff someone outside of training.

Oh, she does Cases. Mostly dealing with fraud, and the amount of paperwork is amazing. One case for a city officer MIGHT run 10 pages. For her, that's just the cover sheet. They also have more policy restrictions than you would ever believe.

Essentially, she's an accountant that goes to the range occasionally. It feeds her sons, but isn't really related to the common idea of law enforcement. I take her on ridealongs, THAT is a real eye opener for her.

[retdetsgt]

My experience with the FBI has been almost totally negative. It's not a matter of some good agents and some bad agents as it is the culture of the organization.

I worked several task forces with them and each one was a kind of a fiasco in its own right. They refuse to admit fault when they screw up and are quick to "blame the locals". However if it goes well, the locals get mentioned, but the they take the primary credit.

One example: We had this huge task force "Tar Port" with them. How they included us was one of our U/C's was buying heroin already from a Mexican group. They had a UC buying coke, but the Mexicans had to buy the coke locally to sell to them. They were importing the herion though from Mexico.

When it was discovered we were buying from the same people, they invited us in. We had three surveillance teams, one Portland, one OSP and an FBI team that was monitoring the activities and they, of course had a wire tap.

I was in charge of our team and was getting concerned that they were having to really work to get the heroin our UC was trying to buy. I suggested that WE were making fairly small operation into a big one and I noticed they were no longer selling to anyone else. I was immediately shouted down.

When it was over, the ASAC told me that our team would make the arrest of the "district sales mgr". I said, fine, call him up for a meet and I'll have a uniform car pull him over. The ASAC went ape and said no way would uniform be involved. (Does that give you an idea of their attitude towards locals?)

I told him to stuff it, I wasn't going to do a car stop with a bunch of narcs in unmarked cars. So they decided to to do. Well, as you would figure, the guy panicked, ran and they lost him. The ASAC spotted him at an intersection, rammed him, the guy took off running on foot, the agent started to chase, realized he'd forgotten his radio, went back to his car and the guy was gone.

A lady called in later that a Mexican was asleep in her lawn building, a uniform car went over and arrested him. We served 7 search warrants, recovered less than 10 grams of heroin, but they displayed the 10 pounds we had bought and paid for as "seized". :rolleyes:

I could entertain you for hours with FBI stories similar. And no, no way in hell would I work for them.

[dwf]

I never seriously entertained the thought of FBI. Based on my experience I will not be sending an application anytime in the near or distant future.

As ret mentioned, there is an institutional attitude that is very off putting and arrogance that in my opinion has not been earned. I likely don't have as extensive a history with them a retdetsgt but do deal with them occassionally. Investigations are a part of law enforcement, and a damn important one, but not the be all and end all that the FBI (or departmental detectives for that matter) would have you believe.

I'm not one to make blanket statements, but...all FBI agents I have had contact with do not seem to understand they are but a part of the entire L/E family neither better nor worse than any other simply another aspect of it.

That is my best effort at nicely saying, they are arrogant pricks...how'd I do?

[Old Trooper]

I totally agree with ret and dwf. I worked with feebies on several occasions, and they were always arrogant, talked down to locals, were very hesitant to share info, but wanted everything you had. There was very little they could do on their own, always had to clear it with SAIC. As far as I am concerned, they can KMA!

[Switchback]

I would like to add that mileage may vary.

In some places I would agree with the going attitude. Where I currently work, however, more often than not, the agents I come across are top notch. Of course, they have their desk-jockies, but the guys I am referring to are the ones that I come across onthe street, and they are TOP NOTCH. They are just as likely as me to chase the $h1tbirds through the alley on foot, hopping fences to grab them, and then to put the subject in their place when needed. Top notch.

I have used FBI informants, gievn free reign to do what I want with them for my case (on more than one occasion). I have been given fugitive cases by the FBI with a letter (upon request) having them relinquish the case altogether. I have worked jointly with them on several cases... and I really mean JOINTLY.

I will admit that these guys are not your norm. I just want to remind guys that the stereotypes do not always fit.

[Piggy]

I'd never join the FBI for two reasons. One is they have no option of a bargaining unit which means you could be the fall-guy for something you weren't involved in. The second reason is they can send you anywhere in the world and I'd rather not be involved in any complex investigations in downtown Fallujah at this time. .

[Switchback]

I'd never join the FBI for two reasons. One is they have no option of a bargaining unit which means you could be the fall-guy for something you weren't involved in. The second reason is they can send you anywhere in the world and I'd rather not be involved in any complex investigations in downtown Fallujah at this time. .

That's the case for a lot of the federal agencies. Most 1811s taht I am aware of have no bargaining unit in their agencies. FLEOA represents us on issues, but it is not the same thing. I don't think the "fall guy" issue is all that you make it up to be.

Most often you need to be more worried about where you will be assgined within the US. However, we have guys in Baghdad right now... and I'd LOVE to go!

[retdetsgt]

My experience has not been that of Switchbacks.... I've gotten along well with all other feds, including DEA, Customs and ATF. But the culture of the FBI still has a lot of Hoover left in it.

For instance, recently they arrested an attorney here who was accused of terrorism based on a fingerprint found on the bomb used on the train in Spain. The guy was arrested, etc solely on the basis of this print and the fact, I assume that he was a Muslim.

Later it was shown that the print was a misidentification. And apparently several lower level techs didn't think it was him either, but because of the culture, were afraid to confront the superior who had ID'd it. That is so typical of that bureau!

I continually had FBI agents sniffing around my desk giving me the old BS of how the agency had changed and we needed to start cooperating more, etc. What that meant was that I had something they wanted. But every time, without fail, that I called them wanting something, it was "I'll call you back." and that was the last I ever heard.

There are some agents I like on a personal basis and enjoyed having a beer with, but as an agency, they stink.

Today, if any other federal officer came to my house wanting info, I'd gladly invite them in and talk. But I seriously doubt I would cooperate to this day with an FBI agent. I simply don't trust them based on years and years of being constantly burned by them. The primary asset I think they have in investigations is what seems to be unlimited deep pockets. They throw money around like it was nothing, but I've yet to do a dual investigation with any FBI agent that I thought was worth beans as an investigator. And I've done several.

[Valor55]

Ditto everyone. NO.

[Group9]

[FONT=Arial]If you could, would you become a FBI agent?


How do you know that some of us didn't become one and then decide there were better law enforcement jobs out there?