Community Outreach 

The FBI’s Community Outreach Program supports the Bureau’s investigative mission by working to address multiple interrelated societal problems—including crime, drugs, gangs, terrorism, and violence. Linking community service, prevention, and law enforcement is a national trend spurred by grass roots efforts around the country, and FBI employees have joined this movement, volunteering in a wide variety of community-related efforts.

Citizens Academy 

The Citizens Academy is an engaging six-to-eight-week program that gives business, religious, civic, and community leaders an inside look at the FBI. Classes meet in the evening at the FBI field office. The mission of the FBI Citizens Academy is to foster a greater understanding of the role of federal law enforcement in the community through frank discussion and education.

Candidates are nominated by FBI employees, former Citizens Academy graduates, and community leaders. Participants are selected by the special agent in charge of the local FBI field office.

To Apply

If you would like to apply for a future Citizens Academy class, please contact the FBI Cincinnati community outreach specialist at (513) 421-4310.

 Collegiate Academy

The FBI Cincinnati Field Office Collegiate Academy provides students with an inside look at the FBI. Through presentations, demonstrations, and discussions, students will learn about the FBI’s investigative programs, our Evidence Response Team, and participate in a simulated investigation. Students will also have an opportunity to explore internship and career opportunities, while developing practical resume and interviewing skills.

Following the initial class selections, applicants will be required to undergo a limited background investigation to include fingerprint checks.Due to the large amount of interest in this program, only a limited number of students will be selected to participate.

Event Details:

  • Dates: The 2024 session will be held on February 15, 22, 29 and March 7, 14, 21
  • Time: 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.
  • Location: FBI Cincinnati Field Office

To Apply:

  • Applications for the 2024 session are currently closed.

Minimum Requirements:

  • Be a U.S. citizen.
  • Full-time student at a college or University in the Cincinnati Division Area of Responsibility (Central and Southern Ohio).
  • Be in good standing with the college or university.
  • Consent and pass a limited FBI background screening.

 Teen Academy 

The FBI Cincinnati Teen Academy program allows high school students an opportunity to receive a comprehensive look into today’s FBI. Topics include leadership, special agent roles and responsibilities, cyber investigations and careers, and crime scene processing with the Evidence Response Team. Students also learn from special agents, intelligence analysts, language specialists, and professional staff about the role of the FBI and career opportunities.

To Apply

Minimum Requirements:

  • Current high school student living in the Cincinnati Division Area of Responsibility (Central and Southern Ohio).
  • Be in good standing at your high school.
  • Receive written parental approval to participate.
Cincinnati Teen Academy

Event Details:

The 2024 application period is closed.

Director's Community Leadership Award 

Since 1990, the Director’s Community Leadership Awards has been the principal means for the FBI to publicly recognize achievements of individuals and organizations that make extraordinary contributions to education and the prevention of crime and violence in their communities. Each field office nominates an individual or organization for the award, and, once selected, the recipients are invited to a ceremony and reception at FBI Headquarters.

Child ID App 

The Child ID app—the first mobile application created by the FBI—provides a convenient place to electronically store photos and vital information about your children on your smartphone (note: no information is stored or collected by the FBI). In the event your child goes missing, users can show the pictures and provide physical identifiers such as height and weight to security or police officers on the spot. Using a special tab on the app, users can also quickly and easily e-mail the information to authorities.

The app also includes tips on keeping children safe, as well as specific guidance on what to do in those first few crucial hours after a child goes missing.

Chasing the Dragon 

The FBI, in partnership with the DEA, created a short documentary focusing on the crisis of prescription drug and opioid abuse. The film, Chasing the Dragon: The Life of an Opiate Addict, outlines the dangerous cycle of opioid and prescription drug abuse—how the problem starts, how the addiction takes hold, and how that addiction damages one’s life and body. High school students and all ages above are the target audience for this video and the curriculum/facilitated discussion that accompanies it.

FBI SOS 

FBI-SOS is a free, fun, and informative program that promotes cyber citizenship by educating students in third to eighth grades on the essentials of online security. For teachers, the site provides a ready-made curriculum that meets state and federal Internet safety mandates, complete with online testing and a national competition to encourage learning and participation. A secure online system enables teachers to register their schools, manage their classes, automatically grade their students’ exams, and request the test scores.

Anyone—young or old, in the U.S. or worldwide—can complete the activities on the FBI-SOS website. The testing and competition, however, are only open to students in grades 3-8 at public, private, or home schools in the U.S. or its territories.

Think Before You Post 

Informational graphic depicting a cell phone texting conversation that states the fact that making hoax threats against schools and other public places is a serious federal crime.

The FBI has an awareness campaign to educate the public about the consequences of making hoax threats of violence to schools, events, and other public places. The Think Before You Post campaign serves to remind everyone that any threat is taken with the utmost seriousness and will be quickly and thoroughly addressed by law enforcement. Hoax threats are not a joke; they are a crime.

In the aftermath of tragic shootings like the ones at Santa Fe High School in Texas and Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida, the FBI and law enforcement agencies around the country often see an increase in threats made to schools, events, and other public buildings. Issuing a threat—even over social media, via text message, or through email—is a federal crime (threatening interstate communications). Those who post or send these threats can receive up to five years in federal prison, or they can face state or local charges.

Community Awareness Presentations 

The Community Awareness Presentation (CAP) is a shorter, more focused version of the FBI Citizens Academy program and is conducted in partnership with a specific community group, generally at an offsite location. The program is designed to build trust and strengthen relationships between the FBI and the communities we serve. Community groups are encouraged to identify topics that are of concern or relevant to their group or organization for the FBI to discuss. Classes are taught by FBI subject matter experts. Generally the participants are selected by members of their organizations or community and there is no restriction on audience size. To request a presentation, please contact your local FBI field office.

Community Engagement Council 

The Community Engagement Council (CEC) is composed of community ethnic, religious, and minority leaders who help the FBI better understand the cultures and committees they represent. The mission of the CEC is to provide a trusting environment that allows council members to discuss issues and concerns within their communities and collaborate with the FBI to identify solutions. The CEC helps build strong relationships between communities and the Bureau.

 

Speaker Requests 

FBI Cincinnati offers public speakers on a limited basis on a variety of topics pertaining to the Bureau’s investigative mission. All requests for speakers must be submitted online a minimum 45 days prior to your presentation date. Requests are subject to availability.