LEXINGTON, S.C.—FBI Director Christopher Wray visited the FBI’s Columbia Field Office on November 16 to celebrate the official opening of the new facility in a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Director Wray—joined by federal, state, and local partners—highlighted recent successes of criminal investigations by the field office and reaffirmed the Bureau’s commitment to the people of South Carolina to make the state a safe place to live.

"For more than half a century, the Columbia Field Office has been committed to protecting local communities—and people all over this country—from crime and national security threats," Wray said. "Today, that work continues in a new facility, with a new foundation to bolster this important work, and new tools to make us more effective."

The ribbon cutting symbolizes a new era for the FBI Columbia Field Office. For the last 25 years, employees outgrew the last facility, with some working out of other nearby offices. The new facility allows all employees to operate under one roof. The nearly 87,000-square-foot facility is situated on 10 acres in the ever-growing town of Lexington, South Carolina. The office is more modern and spacious and offers enhanced technological features to FBI employees and its partners around the state.

During his visit, Director Wray met with law enforcement partners to hear about the issues they are facing and learn what support they need from the FBI.

“The Director’s visit is meaningful to not only our field office, but our law enforcement partners,” said Steve Jensen, special agent in charge of the FBI Columbia Field Office. “Any time when we can share our success stories and advocate on behalf of law enforcement, we demonstrate our mutual commitment to finding collaborative solutions to safeguard South Carolinians.”

Director Wray makes regular visits to the FBI’s 56 field offices and legal attachés to meet with employees, get briefed on local issues and crime trends, as well as to collaborate with partners.