A federal criminal investigator works for a federal agency and is responsible for enforcing laws and solving crimes. Terrorism, money laundering, and immigration are just a few of the criminal areas that most agencies assign officers to investigate. Local, state, and federal divisions are among the agencies with which investigators collaborate.
When a federal criminal investigator is assigned to a case, he or she goes over the case documents and looks for evidence. Witnesses to the criminal activity will also be identified by the investigator. Other responsibilities include locating potential informants, drafting expert subpoenas, and requesting search warrants.
Surveillance and undercover operations are a big part of what it takes to be a federal criminal investigator. To gain access to a large drug trafficking ring, an investigator may have to infiltrate the group and pose as a drug dealer. Surveillance may take place over several days or weeks when the investigator is conducting it. The agent may be required to keep an eye on a suspect’s home or canvass a neighborhood, recording any events that occur.
Arresting and processing people accused of crimes are some of the other responsibilities of a federal criminal investigator. After an alleged criminal is apprehended, the investigator must fingerprint the suspect and record the suspect’s physical information. The agent must also take a mug shot of the suspect before entering all of the information into the file.
Investigators must examine crime scenes and record evidence. One of the responsibilities of a federal criminal investigator is to compare fingerprints found at the scene with fingerprints stored in a national database. The agent must determine whether the alleged criminal is linked to any other crimes that have already been recorded in the system.
A federal criminal investigator may be required to testify in court about activities observed while working undercover. The agent may be asked questions about the alleged incident by attorneys and the judge. The judge may also request that the investigator identify specific exhibits so that they can be entered into evidence.
Kidnapping and missing person cases are also investigated by federal criminal investigators. When someone goes missing, a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent assists local law enforcement in organizing search parties and gathering information about what happened. If the person has been kidnapped, the agent will try to track down the kidnapper and interview the victim’s family and friends. To free the hostage, the federal agent may have to negotiate with the kidnappers and set up a meeting.
A degree in criminal justice or a related field is required to work as a federal criminal investigator. Some agents have additional forensic science and criminal profiling training. Most departments also prefer to hire federal criminal investigators with extensive law enforcement experience.