FBI Agents To Gain Extensive New Powers
The Justice Department will unveil changes to FBI ground rules today that would put much more power into the hands of line agents pursuing leads on national security, foreign intelligence and even ordinary criminal cases.
The overhaul, the most substantial revision to FBI operating instructions in years, also would ease some reporting requirements between agents, their supervisors and federal prosecutors in what authorities call a critical effort to improve information gathering and detect terrorist threats.
The changes would give the FBI’s more than 12,000 agents the ability at a much earlier stage to conduct physical surveillance, solicit informants and interview friends of people they are investigating without the approval of a bureau supervisor. Such techniques are currently available only after FBI agents have opened an investigation and developed a reasonable suspicion that a crime has been committed or that a threat to national security is developing.
Authorities say the changes would eliminate confusion for agents who investigate drug, gang or national security cases.
Category: Homeland Security News
Great! Cannot give our defenders too much opportunity to do their jobs. The generally leftist media and many educational establishments have created a big suspicion-wedge between our police, federal agents, the armed services and the general populance. It is a pity we cry “privacy” and distrust law enforcement so readily. I believe we should have VOLUNTARY civilian involvement with our various security agencies. You see, we are ALL on the same side! (regardless of the ‘power’ of a few politicians). PGW