Perhaps to you the FBI simply represents a vague, top secret group of people tackling mysterious crimes and security threats. Much of our understanding often doesn’t go below the surface of entertainment sources. Understanding even a few key tidbits about the FBI will educate us beyond what we see of the FBI while watching our favorite true crime show. And you might even decide you want to get an FBI job to advance your national security career. See how much you know about this agency in the Intelligence Community (IC).
WHO WORKS FOR THE FBI?
What type of employees don’t work in the FBI? This is the better question! There are countless staff roles within the organization, and there’s not a typical, predictable day in the life for most employees. Secret agents are practically household names as far as impressive professions go and probably what comes to mind when we think of those employed by the FBI. We’ve all heard of them. Secret agents have one of the most invasive, hands-on roles within the FBI. The FBI employs secret agents under five primary divisions: Criminal, Counterintelligence, Cyber, Intelligence, and Counterterrorism. Translation: you can find them protecting the innocent, untangling cyber crime and sniffing out terrorist agendas. While not as flashy-sounding as the secret agent, scientists, language analysts and surveillance professionals alike are employed under specific sectors and divisions within the FBI – to name but a few, and none to be overlooked! Individuals aged 23 and above can apply to work at the FBI, and while there are a variety of roles that can be applied to, the acceptance funnel is quite narrow; obtaining a job with the FBI is highly competitive at the end of the day. That probably doesn’t shock you.
WHAT DOES THE FBI INVESTIGATE?
Both domestic and international issues being investigated have their own respective, various programs within the FBI, and these programs are not merely focused on terrorism (though that remains a laser focus of the programs, particularly since 9/11, of course). Since the FBI’s founding in 1908 under President Theodore Roosevelt, the spectrum of what the FBI investigates has grown and evolved. White-collar crimes are happening without our even realizing, but rest assured that the FBI is far from oblivious to these generally non-violent, yet highly illegal crimes. Whether it’s health care fraud, credit card fraud or money laundering (Ozark, anyone?), you can be sure that they fall under the umbrella of FBI responsibility. If it’s federal in nature, or if fraud is involved, the FBI is all over it.
FINAL FAST FBI FACTS
While it would be impossible to cover the breadth of all that the FBI is and does, a couple of paragraphs detailing the mission of the FBI is enough to amp up most of our knowledge from what we knew before. And with that, here are a few final fun facts to stew on, rapid-fire style!
- Over 35,000 people are employed by the FBI today!
- The FBI was entirely paper based until they finally went digital in 2012.
- Quite a few famous individuals have files in the FBI system, from Whitney Houston, to Steve Jobs, to Helen Keller!
- Over 47 million fingerprints currently reside on file within the FBI database.
- FBI Headquarters is in Northwest Washington, D.C….with a move around the corner.
- Disney lovers will appreciate this one! Walt Disney once served as an informer to the FBI (secretly!), and as a result of his co-operation, was permitted to film in the Bureau’s headquarters.
