Posted on 11/27/2016 2:44:09 PM PST by nickcarraway
Dallas FBI office teaches citizens about its work
From stopping a terrorist attack before it happens to busting corrupt public officials, the FBI handles the country’s biggest criminal investigations.
Its work is often done in secret.
But every year, a group of about 40 citizens are invited to participate in a Citizens’ Academy where agents talk about some of their biggest cases and offer unique insight into how they do their work. It meets one night a week over two months at the FBI’s Dallas headquarters.
Motorcyclist Dies After Crashing into Rock Truck: FWPD "I would say it's very much an eye opener,” said Glen Pirtle, manager of Classic Chevrolet in Grapevine and a member of the most recent class.
Assistant Special Agent in Charge Michael Costanzi helps run the program.
Girl, 5, Found Tied Up Behind San Antonio Restaurant "It's an exposure of the FBI that gives the opportunity to the public to get an inside look at what we do,” Costanzi said.
In one exercise, Pirtle and his fellow citizens were put through a made-up but realistic kidnapping scenario – where they played the agents.
Real-life agents helped supervise as they tried to rescue the victim and arrest the kidnappers.
They learned how the FBI searches a car and dusts it for fingerprints.
They saw how explosives experts can disable a bomb.
And they were briefed on closed cases – and how agents investigated them.
Among them: Hosam Smadi, the Jordanian man convicted of plotting to blow up a downtown Dallas skyscraper in 2009.
FBI undercover agents were there every step of the way -- right up to when he thought he was detonating a bomb -- and got arrested instead.
"It didn't go so well for him and he's serving 24 years in prison,” Costanzi said.
More recently, there was the case of the Texas actress Shannon Richardson, who was convicted of producing ricin and mailing it to President Obama.
She's now serving an 18-year sentence.
"You can go your whole life never meeting or being involved with the FBI,” Costanzi said. “This gives us an opportunity to let people see that we are the front line for them, we are out there protecting their interest."
Pirtle says it's a world he never knew existed until the citizens’ academy.
"Every day those guys are on the line and it doesn't stop day or night,” he said.
Do they teach about going on TV and listing a criminal's crimes and then not recommending them for prosecution?
They need to teach themselves that no one is above the damned law!!
My co-teacher in the bilingual supplemental sacrament class did this course. She was a CPA with the county government. Enjoyed it very much.
I attended this class. It was interesting. I had a serrious debate with an agent who is also a lawyer regarding use of deadly force. I have been in law enforcement; I know the rules. After watching a video of a police officer being killed he said that he would have shot the suspect way earlier than I thought appropriate. I told him he was basing his opinion on knowing what was about to happen. It was a civil but passionate debate. Neither of us backed down. We did some very exciting shoot/don’t shoot drills using real weapons and paint cartridges. We also shot all of the FBI issue weapons (none of which I had not shot before) plus a real Tommy gun they had in their armory. Overall it was a good experience I would recommend if you get the chance.
This agency has all the class and credibility of the NYPD in the 1970s.
I grew up next door to an agent he had girls I was like a surrogate son he had boats and he took me to the FBI offices in west la got see lots of amazing stuff rode in a FBI car all the time had all the undercover stuff in it one of the good ones for sure this was the early 70’s he finished his stint. Checking out federal judges for Reagan
Hmmm, that one caught my attention.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.