FBI Agent Job Description

"Just the minute the FBI begins making recommendations on what should be done with its information, it becomes a Gestapo." Were the words of the first director of Federal Bureau of Investigation, J Edgar Hoover.

It's perhaps an ultimate fantasy of quite a few youth to be an FBI agent. Something like, the scintillating and shrewd Joe Pistone aka Donnie Brasco in Donnie Brasco or perhaps like Gillian Anderson in The X-files. There, Gillian Anderson plays Dana Scully, a FBI agent ruminating over sidelined, unsolved cases which involved paranormal phenomena. WOW! I am absolutely smitten by the portrayal of FBI agents on screen! Moreover, if the agent is played by 'bad boy' Jonnie Depp or the charismatic Clint East Wood - OH MY GOD! But coming back to real life from 'reel life', FBI agents are really the high profile officers involved in some serious crime investigation. However, the layman always wonders what is an FBI agent job description all about? (D-uh! Hollywood and American TV buffs already know that). Still, for those who are not very well acquainted with what it is, knowing about it is an experience and is very interesting. So are you ready to go through and read about the grind of an FBI agent? Lets bring it on!

What is an FBI Agent Job Description?

Now, FBI being a governmental law enforcement agency, there is division of duties or labor as we call it and thus, an FBI agent typically handles a particular aspect of investigation. So starting off, the job description of an FBI agent fundamentally entails investigation of crime. These criminal acts can range from drug trafficking to cyber or internet crime to bribery to financial crimes and organized crimes. All these are 'so to say' run of the mill matters for an FBI agent. What lights up a 'real tough' FBI agent's eyes is a high end case like airplane hijacking, international espionage and inter state criminal activity and sensitive national security matters. For all these investigations and getting the culprit out of the burrow, an FBI agent needs to be very deductive and intelligent. He or she should immediately be able to come to the possible suspects and motives.

FBI Agent Job Description: On Field
The job description of an FBI agent also requires the agent to dwell upon the evidence, ponder over missing links in a case, and crack it. This means that an FBI agent has to go on the field, to confirm his doubts or to eliminate them. Going on field includes surveillance activities, encounter with criminals and so on. An FBI agent always has to be on his toes and needs to be alert all the time. Field activity also involves arresting the criminals, when needed. Everything considered, its not a very big deal for a seasoned FBI agent. Its all in a day's work for them!

FBI Agent Job Description: Off the Crime Scene
When not on field FBI agents interrogate people, do a criminal background check and basically mull over the evidence at hand to find the culprit as soon as possible. All this after thoroughly going through a case file and gathering all the bits and pieces along with the local police or other law enforcement officers to complete the jigsaw puzzle. For instance, in murder cases, especially, a forensics liaison accompanies a FBI agent. Just like in the TV series 'Criminal Minds', all of them - the investigating officer, the forensics person, and others work in unison. Sometimes, if it's a highly specialized case, related to psychologically induced criminal acts, the FBI agent could be a part of the Behavioral Analysis Unit of the FBI.

All said and done, this entire FBI agent job description paints a very thrilling and rosy picture with guns and (no real roses here!) criminals and undercover agent activities and so on. But it's not a cakewalk. Only those with excellent physical fitness and those willing to lap up potentially dangerous situations, and most importantly the duty and the desire to enforce law and protect property and life, can be FBI agents. If you have that grit and gumption in yourself, a la Donnie Brasco or the likes, it is a great idea.

Finally, I hope have given you enough knowledge on FBI agent job description and I must stop here, lest I go into an FBI-agent admiration and rambling spree! I sign off here!