How Crucial The FBI Is To The United States
Out of all the Federal Law Enforcement Agencies, the Federal Bureau of Investigations is most likely the well known in the general populace. But why? Is it because of the TV shows that constantly depict men in suits showing up at people’s doors looking for questions? Is it the media that constantly have the FBI in the headlines for numerous different things? Who knows, but in this paper, we will delve into how much the FBI actually plays a crucial role into federal safety and intelligence and the many key aspects that they cover. Along with the use of SWAT and K9 and other exalted units in the FBI.
Background
In 1908, the inception of the Federal Bureau of Investigation had happened. This was because of a lack of investigative staff in the Department of Justice, and would so use private detectives, sort of like the Pinkerton National Detective Agency, or used aid from other agencies in the United States, like the Secret Service, but that was originally created for counterfeiting. So, the U. S. Bureau of Investigation was then created to help have the regular force of investigative needs that the United States needed. The initial workforce was comprised of private eyes and agents of the secret service who were all under the command of U. S. Attorney General Charles Bonaparte. The agency was then used as a tool to investigate criminals who had evaded the law over state lines.
When World War I came about, the primary duty of the bureau was to investigate on immigrants who were suspects for radical acts, anyone who violated the espionage act, and anyone who was trying to resist the draft. Along with the red scare, the FBI had quite the work agenda to fulfill investigating in the United States. In the era of World War II and the Cold War, there was a worry on the rise that the ever power developing FBI would become too powerful and would abuse their power. Running secret intelligence operations and uncovering many different Nazi agents that were incognito in the United States. Along with the many Japanese Americans that were detained in internment camps for investigation on their allegiance, if it was for the United States or still for their homeland.
The Cold War was one of the most scrutiny intensive times for the FBI with public relations. Most notoriously, the bureau tapped the phones of the rising young minister Martin Luther King Jr. , gathering information about his supposed communist associations and his numerous extramarital affairs. Unfortunately, a lot of the resources spent under the reign of J. Edgar Hoover were wasted on innocent socialist citizens who were assorted with many different movements and political activist circles. But the information needed to be seized to know for sure there was not an inbound threat.
Before coming up to the modern times of the FBI there are many different conspiracies and black out operations that were conducted, this is to give you an idea of where they come from and the many different services they offered to the United States in the beginning. But, throughout the years the Federal Bureau of Investigation was involved with many different events in U. S. history and overcame some of the most dangerous and treacherous criminals in history, and still to this day they reside as one of the most revered agencies with the widest authority in the United States, and even the world.
Present Day
Today, the Federal Bureau of Investigations remains as a member of the Department of Justice but has since changed its main goal and service to the United States. A big part of that is due to the horrendous events of 9/11. Before this, the FBI did have a small hand in the role of terrorism, but it was not their primary concern. But now the role of terrorism has been set to the top of when the need to triage priority comes about. FBI’s most wanted list is a well-known point to that action, after the events of 9/11 the FBI put out that Osama Bin Laden was at the top of that list for pulling the string behind the attack on the World Trade Center. The FBI is now heavily invested in investigating terrorism but has also developed a huge front on the law enforcement side by enforcing federal laws with their own police force on a federal level. Which the FBI has jurisdiction over many different cases if they turn into federal issues and can over rule local, and state police. The FBI has two main investigation/enforcement branches. One is the National Security Branch, within this branch are four divisions concerned with preserving national security. The other, larger, branch - Criminal Investigations- investigates cybercrime, public corruption, civil rights violations, organized crime, white collar crime, and a number of major thefts and violent crimes. The dismantling of organized crime syndicates is also on a top priority list for the FBI, with cartels pushing drugs and other contraband into the United States borders. Most notably is the MS-13 gang that has deep roots in southern California, and has spread its plague of drugs, murder, and corruption across the United States.
Duties and Services
Just like any other organization or agency, the FBI performs services and investigates many different fields:
- Terrorism
- Counterintelligence
- Cyber Crime
- Public Corruption
- White-Collar Crime
Of course, the FBI, as stated earlier, has a strong focus on preventing acts of terrorism. Working with many different agencies and organizations while forming joint task forces. Since 9/11 the potential risk of information being shared and not intercepted has jumped to a high number with the development in technology and the internet, along with the use of social media. While it is hard to negate all information that could pertain terrorist information the FBI works tirelessly to filter media content that comes through. The use of the internet puts a new strain on privacy infringements with what the government can fully look into without people feeling like the government are constantly watching them.
An example of the use of social media would be ISIS campaigning for people to come join them through social media accounts. They target “soft targets” and get people to travel to Iraq and Syria to join their ranks or carry out terrorist acts within the borders on behalf of ISIS and their affiliates.
The FBI works intensively with safe guarding information on a national level and even public economic stance. Historically, economic espionage has targeted defense-related and high-tech industries. But recent FBI cases have shown that no industry, large or small, is immune to the threat. The purpose of the FBI’s counterintelligence is to protect all of our assets and critical infrastructures. Along with negating any attempts of information breaches by foreign spies through investigations.
The FBI is the key asset in our safety against any type of threat in the ever-developing cyber world. Everything from fraud, identity thieves, and online predators. The FBI has developed their arsenal to combat against all of these forms of crime. But, as the time goes on, so does the development of technology and the need to be kept up on the latest gadgets to stop criminals. The most interesting part of cyber crime that is an issue of today is the use of the bitcoin. An untraceable currency, also known as a Cryptocurrency, that can be easily gathered and used wherever do to its liquidation. This is a great way for criminals and crime syndicates to earn revenue to fund their operations and spend the money on the black market, without worry if it being traced. While that is one of the current and most drastic case, the FBI fights against a lot of ransomware, or server attacks to government infrastructure. Server safety and network safety are of the utmost important and the need for capable citizens to take up arms to secure our nation’s assets are at an all-time high.
A major threat to the nation’s security is the seed of corruption that can be imbedded in officials. Even the FBI itself must combat against internal corruption that can occur. But their focus is to gather intel and investigate violations that public officials may be committing at the Federal, State, and Local levels. Many key focuses can be looked at officials being a part of election fraud, espionage, bribery, and conflicts of interest. Government officials are not the only case in which corruption is investigated by the FBI. Prison corruption and border corruption are big examples of things that must be monitored. Due to the moving of contraband through both areas. Throughout the U. S. , the FBI has investigated corrupt government and law enforcement officials who accept bribes and gratuities in return for allowing loads of drugs or aliens to pass through ports of entry or checkpoints; protecting and escorting loads of contraband; overlooking contraband; providing needed documents, such as immigration papers and driver’s licenses; leaking sensitive law enforcement information; and conducting unauthorized records checks.
While the FBI does handle a lot of law enforcement with terrorism, drug smuggling, and different other violent crimes. They also handle a lot of White-Collar crimes. Which entails a lot of corporate level crimes. The FBI investigates into fraudulent trading, illegal transactions, falsified documentation, tax evasion, and money laundering.
One of the most notable White-Collar crimes was the Enron scandal where upper tier business officials embezzled themselves and cheated the investors. Enron then had to file for bankruptcy which costed millions in loss money. This launched a full-scale investigative task force to uncover the truth. Agents conducted more than 1, 800 interviews and collected more than 3, 000 boxes of evidence and more than four terabytes of digitized data. More than $164 million was seized; to date about $90 million has been forfeited to help compensate victims.
FBI Special Weapons and Tactics
To the public eye, the FBI is consisted of a bunch of agents in suits who investigate cases. But, part of the FBI is an actual law enforcement and police division. One of the upper echelons of those police units are the ones who are chosen to be a part of the SWAT team for the FBI. They conduct operations of high-risk drug raids, hostage situations, maritime operations, dignitary protection, and manhunts.
Members of the SWAT teams receive extensive training in specialized weapons and use their acquired skills to utilize submachine guns, sniper rifles, and tear gas grenades. Each of the volunteers that apply to be on the team are expected to keep themselves in peak physical condition. SWAT positions in the police force and the FBI are very alike, as in the officers and agents on the team are all called upon to help along with their daily jobs as well. In some larger police departments, such as NYPD or the LAPD, officers are assigned to SWAT units on a full-time basis.
Critical Incident Response Group (CIRG)
Like the SWAT team of the FBI there is also another team that is compiled of Special Agents and other support units that make up the CIRG teams. They specialize in crisis management, hostage rescue, surveillance and aviation, hazardous devices mitigation, crisis negotiations, behavioral analysis, and tactical operations. Established in the mid-90s for tactical crisis response, behavior analysis and negotiation. The members of this team are ready to ship out and respond seven days a week. Being well trained and versatile in the many different forms of tactical law enforcement they also provide training to the undercover agents at the FBI. The CIRG are well known for their work in Counter-IED operations and have a bomb school to train their agents. Because of this intensive training they handle encounters with the Weapons of Mass Destruction that may be potential threats within the United States.
Hostage Rescue Team (HRT)
Some of the best of the best FBI agents are lucky enough to become members of the HRT. To even be considered for the program you must have three years in the field as an investigator, and on top of that have a grueling physical regime that they must pass in the school. They are regarded so highly in the law enforcement community that they train alongside other groups like the British SAS and the German GSG-9. These agents are trained in the highest of standard and must exemplify masterful usage of military equipment while they are deployed for high profile missions throughout the United States. They are the number one specialized police force for high risk environments.
K-9 Units
K9 (canine) officers are experienced law enforcement professionals who specialize in partnering with police dogs to complete specific duties. Most of the work is having the dog assist in cases where narcotics, explosives, and other illegal substances are in suspicion. The FBI employs two types of K9 units. Patrol Dogs and Scent Specialty Dogs. Patrol dogs are “find and bite dog(s)’, who find suspects by tracking or searching and bite and hold them. ” The Scent dogs specialize in tracking for evidence or individuals. These dogs really shine during manhunts or searching for a lost person. The K9 are also sworn in just like a police officer, and accompany their handler/partner on normal day to day activities and patrols, along with responding to emergencies or apprehending suspects. Typically, the K9 lives with the officer in their personal home, which develops a strong bond between the officer and the K9. Which means that the officer always needs to take care of the K9 and ensure that it is getting the correct amount of rest, food, and exercise.
Medical Careers
The FBI is more than just an organization that specializes in law enforcement officers and intelligence analysts. Medical professionals are needed on many different aspects of the FBI. Everything from Paramedic Special Agents and Occupational Nurses to Counselors and Mental Health professionals.
Special Agent Paramedics are involved in many of the SWAT operations of all aspects. The FBI realizes the importance of having a trained medical professional out in the field with the rest of a unit incase circumstances take an unfortunate turn. This is a crucial and key role on any SWAT team. Just like technology, nursing is also on the rise and is becoming a formidable role in many different career fields. Their duty is to maintain the health of the workforce of the FBI and responding to emergencies, while assessing the health and status clearing of the FBI employees. Also working with travel and handling vaccination programs. The use of a nurse in the field and workforce is becoming a dynamic demand.
Lastly, we have counselors and mental health professionals. While peak physical condition is an important trait to have, keeping the mind sharp and healthy is crucial to the success of the FBI. Depression, and PTSD are afflictions that can affect employees, and it is the jobs of the counselor to help get them through with the help needed and get them the hospital care needed to get them back on track.
Surveillance
The Surveillance Specialists are the eyes and ears of the FBI and go to great lengths to gather information. They must be able to adapt and hide in plain sight and become one with the crowd. They are the group that you’ll see on TV shows or movies that are in an abandoned house with lots of computers and high-tech surveillance gear staking out a target. Their jobs are becoming harder and harder with the developments in technology that is available to the public and criminals. So, at times they must also just tail someone in person to gather better results.
Their main mission as an Investigative Specialist is to collect and gather all evidence and intelligence on their mission target whether is be criminal, counterterrorism, or counterintelligence cases. While doing so in a legal manner so that the suspect in your investigation may be apprehended and prosecuted fairly.
Analysis and Final Thoughts
As a child I grew up with the aspirations and dreams of playing a key role in the United States military or federal agency. I grew up watching the cop shows, the detective shows, and yes of course James Bond. I find that with each course I take in school I realize how little I knew about law enforcement and the organizations. During my research for this class, and my discussions I’ve had on numerous occasions with Professor Baugher, I have really been able to delve deep into the world of what the FBI is and all the many different assets that they have. These people are truly amazing, and I can only hope to do amazing work like them one day in my life. So, with, I believe that the FBI is truly a crucial entity to the safety of the United States.
This paper has also opened so many different ideas for career paths that I’ve been on the fence with, and the many routes there are in the world of law enforcement. Some of the things that really grabbed my attention about my topic were the K9 units and the Surveillance Specialist careers. I love working with animals and I believe becoming an K9 officer would be a very rewarding and wholesome feeling career outlet. I also believe that the life of a Surveillance Specialist would be quite the interesting route, especially because the world of investigation is ever changing and always keeps my interest. I can only hope that this last year of school prepares me for the life ahead in law enforcement, and that I can help make a difference in someone’s life and provide a better future for my communities.
