Community hub
Recent from talks
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Special agent
In the United States, a special agent is an official title used to refer to certain investigators or detectives of federal, military, tribal, or state agencies who primarily serve in criminal investigatory positions. Additionally, some special agents operate in criminal intelligence, counterterrorism, or counterintelligence-based roles as well, with one or all of these roles occasionally taking precedence over criminal investigatory tasks.
Within the American federal law enforcement system, dozens of federal agencies employ federal law enforcement officers (LEOs), each with different criteria pertaining to the use of the titles special agent and agent. Most criminal investigators employed by the U.S. Department of Defense and its component departments typically utilize the title of "special agent."
Most people holding the title of "special agent" are LEOs under state and/or federal law (with some also being dual intelligence operatives such as with the FBI). These LEOs are distinctly empowered to conduct both major and minor criminal investigations and hold arrest authority. While not all federal LEOs are "special agents," nearly all special agents – with very few exceptions – are duly-sworn LEOs. This holds true at the state-level, as well, with nearly all special agents of state agencies being sworn LEOs.
In intelligence usage, "agent" may also refer to a human source or human "asset" who is recruited, trained, controlled, and employed to obtain and report information. However, within law enforcement agencies, these types of sources are often referred to as informants, confidential informants (CI—not to be confused with counterintelligence), or confidential human sources (CHS).
Within the U.S. government, the title of Special Agent primarily designates the Criminal Investigator GS-1811 series position. However, the title is also concurrently used for General Investigator GS-1810 job series and the intelligence specialist in the GS-0132 job series according to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) handbook. The vast majority of special agents are GS-1811 (or equivalent) Criminal Investigators. Special agents typically have at a minimum an undergraduate degree.
Most federal agencies, including the following, employ some type of special agent, investigator or background investigator:
Federal law enforcement training can be divided into various categories, the most common being basic, agency-specific basic (ASB), advanced/specialized, and agency-advanced/specialized. To operate safely and effectively, U.S. Special Agents and criminal investigators must possess skills and knowledge regarding criminal and civil law and procedure, enforcement operations, physical techniques, and technical equipment, to mention a few. They must also be physically fit. While possession of a college degree can aid in obtaining employment in this profession, only extensive training provided at specialized facilities, combined with on-the-job training, can provide the skills and knowledge needed to perform the duties of a federal criminal investigator. As of 2012, there were 13,913 FBI agents, as of 2016, there were approximately 6,500 ICE-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents, and as of 2011, there were 4,890 DEA agents in the United States.
Not all federal criminal investigators are called special agents. Some federal agencies entitle their investigators as criminal investigators but use the term interchangeably with special agent. Other federal agencies use different titles for the same 1811 criminal investigative job series. Series 1811 criminal investigators for the U.S. Marshals are entitled Deputy Marshals. Series 1811 criminal investigators for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service are called postal inspectors. These inspectors were originally called surveyors and received a title change in 1801 to Special Agent. In 1880, the U.S. Congress created the position of Chief Postal Inspector and renamed these special agents to postal inspectors. The first special agents in the United States were appointed in 1791 when the Secretary of the Treasury was authorized to employ "Special Agents" for the purpose of examining the accounts and books of the Collectors of Customs. The position of Special Treasury Agent was created, and until 1860 submitted reports to the Department of Treasury, through the Collectors of Customs in the Customs District in which they were employed.[citation needed]
Hub AI
Special agent AI simulator
(@Special agent_simulator)
Special agent
In the United States, a special agent is an official title used to refer to certain investigators or detectives of federal, military, tribal, or state agencies who primarily serve in criminal investigatory positions. Additionally, some special agents operate in criminal intelligence, counterterrorism, or counterintelligence-based roles as well, with one or all of these roles occasionally taking precedence over criminal investigatory tasks.
Within the American federal law enforcement system, dozens of federal agencies employ federal law enforcement officers (LEOs), each with different criteria pertaining to the use of the titles special agent and agent. Most criminal investigators employed by the U.S. Department of Defense and its component departments typically utilize the title of "special agent."
Most people holding the title of "special agent" are LEOs under state and/or federal law (with some also being dual intelligence operatives such as with the FBI). These LEOs are distinctly empowered to conduct both major and minor criminal investigations and hold arrest authority. While not all federal LEOs are "special agents," nearly all special agents – with very few exceptions – are duly-sworn LEOs. This holds true at the state-level, as well, with nearly all special agents of state agencies being sworn LEOs.
In intelligence usage, "agent" may also refer to a human source or human "asset" who is recruited, trained, controlled, and employed to obtain and report information. However, within law enforcement agencies, these types of sources are often referred to as informants, confidential informants (CI—not to be confused with counterintelligence), or confidential human sources (CHS).
Within the U.S. government, the title of Special Agent primarily designates the Criminal Investigator GS-1811 series position. However, the title is also concurrently used for General Investigator GS-1810 job series and the intelligence specialist in the GS-0132 job series according to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) handbook. The vast majority of special agents are GS-1811 (or equivalent) Criminal Investigators. Special agents typically have at a minimum an undergraduate degree.
Most federal agencies, including the following, employ some type of special agent, investigator or background investigator:
Federal law enforcement training can be divided into various categories, the most common being basic, agency-specific basic (ASB), advanced/specialized, and agency-advanced/specialized. To operate safely and effectively, U.S. Special Agents and criminal investigators must possess skills and knowledge regarding criminal and civil law and procedure, enforcement operations, physical techniques, and technical equipment, to mention a few. They must also be physically fit. While possession of a college degree can aid in obtaining employment in this profession, only extensive training provided at specialized facilities, combined with on-the-job training, can provide the skills and knowledge needed to perform the duties of a federal criminal investigator. As of 2012, there were 13,913 FBI agents, as of 2016, there were approximately 6,500 ICE-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents, and as of 2011, there were 4,890 DEA agents in the United States.
Not all federal criminal investigators are called special agents. Some federal agencies entitle their investigators as criminal investigators but use the term interchangeably with special agent. Other federal agencies use different titles for the same 1811 criminal investigative job series. Series 1811 criminal investigators for the U.S. Marshals are entitled Deputy Marshals. Series 1811 criminal investigators for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service are called postal inspectors. These inspectors were originally called surveyors and received a title change in 1801 to Special Agent. In 1880, the U.S. Congress created the position of Chief Postal Inspector and renamed these special agents to postal inspectors. The first special agents in the United States were appointed in 1791 when the Secretary of the Treasury was authorized to employ "Special Agents" for the purpose of examining the accounts and books of the Collectors of Customs. The position of Special Treasury Agent was created, and until 1860 submitted reports to the Department of Treasury, through the Collectors of Customs in the Customs District in which they were employed.[citation needed]