FBI Agent Job Description
FBI agents on television seem to lead the most interesting lives. They catch criminals, are held at gunpoint at least three times a season, and have action-packed days and nights while running around in special jackets with “FBI” written on the back. They’re always knocking on doors or bursting through them and yelling “FBI! OPEN UP!” Hollywood portrayals are somewhat accurate, but of course, there are some definite embellishments about an FBI agent’s job description.
FBI stands for Federal Bureau of Investigation, and agents are hired to protect citizens of the United States from threats to national security. Due to these cases being dangerous to society, and varying from drug trafficking to serial killers, agents are given certain tasks to take care of as part of the case investigation. Agents must analyze and re-analyze every piece of evidence to fill in the missing links to the crime. They create a list of suspects and witnesses, and must interview each one of them thoroughly in order to get all of the information that is needed for the case.
Duties
FBI agents must fulfill duties that are involve doing on-field and off-field work. Interrogation and questioning can be done on and off the field; suspects and witnesses can either be brought into the station or the agents sometimes have to track them down. On-field work also includes conducting surveillance or going undercover, and sometimes catching the criminal attempting to strike again and arresting him.
Off-field work involves more analyzing the suspect list and evidence. It also involves reading through case files and getting de-briefed by the police department who was currently working the case. The FBI gets jurisdiction over 300 different categories of federal law, which means that they intervene in a police investigation if the type of crime falls within one of these categories, such as serial murders or drug trafficking.
Working Conditions
FBI agents are in no way of having normal working hours. Their work hours vary day by day and for each case. Sometimes, crimes are solved within a few days, and other times it takes longer. They are called to work at any given moment, and must be available at all times for an unknown period of time. They hardly spend all of their time in one city, and must travel across the nation per each case.
The job description of an FBI is a bit glamorized by television, but many of the duties are the same. These agents must be available to work at all hours of the day or night, and are often away on travel for the next case. It is often difficult for these agents to maintain normal personal lives. They are responsible for protecting the United States from national threats, and catching all types of criminals.