Community outreach is about building partnerships locally and nationally that help prevent crime and protect our diverse nation.
Read about the FBI’s latest outreach initiatives, notable outreach activities and successes by Bureau partners and personnel, advice for staying safe from emerging threats and scams, career opportunities, and more.
When foreign governments stalk, intimidate, or assault people in the United States, it is considered transnational repression. It is illegal, and you can get help to stop it.
Some countries’ governments harass and intimidate their own citizens living in the U.S. These governments may also target naturalized or U.S.-born citizens who have family overseas or other foreign connections. This violates U.S. law and individual rights and freedoms.
Collegiate Academy graduates from Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, and Spelman College pose with leaders from FBI Atlanta and Dr. Michael Turner, Morehouse College’s deputy Title IX coordinator and director of student relations and ombudsperson. Photo credit: Morehouse College
Students from Texas Southern University tour the FBI SWAT vehicle following the Collegiate Academy graduation ceremony in Houston, Texas.
The FBI’s Collegiate Academy program provides a series of seminars to college students to spread awareness of the Bureau’s mission, goals, history, and internal workings while offering young adults the unique opportunity to ask questions and have discussions directly with FBI personnel. Over the past few months, community outreach specialists in several field offices have partnered with local Historically Black Colleges and Universities to host sessions.
Earlier this year, the Houston Field Office partnered with Texas Southern University to provide an on-campus, five-week program to students who wanted to learn more about the Bureau. Participants received briefings on economic espionage, white-collar crime, the intelligence program, violent crime, gangs, and cybercrime. During the last session, students received certificates of completion and toured FBI Houston’s SWAT vehicle. In the spring, FBI Houston joined forces with the Prairie View A&M University to host a Collegiate Academy on the college campus.
The Atlanta Field Office recently wrapped a month-long Collegiate Academy at the Atlanta University Center Consortium with students from Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, and Spelman College. Ten students from each school were invited to participate. Presentations focused on civil rights, career pathways, diversity and inclusion, recruitment, and the Honors Internship Program.
“The vulnerability and honesty from the special agents and professional staff depict a support system that displays a personable side of the organization that is very motivating,” commented one student who participated in the Atlanta program.
FBI Charlotte partnered with Johnson C. Smith University to share information about Bureau careers and provide hands-on activities for students during the recent Collegiate Academy.
Fifteen students from Philander Smith College participated in the Collegiate Academy hosted by FBI Little Rock.
Students at Johnson C. Smith University participated in the Charlotte Field Office’s first Collegiate Academy. Twenty students participated in the program, which featured briefings on the FBI’s application process, a variety of career options, the Evidence Response Team, and diversity initiatives. Additionally, they met Bureau employees who shared their personal stories about their career journeys with the FBI. Charlotte is partnering with North Carolina Central University to host another Collegiate Academy later this spring.
The Little Rock Division partnered with Arkansas Baptist College, Philander Smith College, and University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff to host on-campus Collegiate Academies. FBI employees hosted sessions on cybersafety, forensic accounting, civil rights, employment, and COVID-19 fraud schemes.
By hosting Collegiate Academies on HBCU campuses, the FBI is hoping to strengthen community ties and continue to improve the diversity of the FBI workforce.
The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center has released its annual report.
The 2021 Internet Crime Report includes information from 847,376 complaints of suspected internet crime—a 7% increase from 2020—and reported losses exceeding $6.9 billion. State-specific statistics can be found in the report and in the accompanying 2021 State Reports.
The top three cyber crimes reported by victims in 2021 were phishing scams, non-payment/non-delivery scams, and personal data breach. Victims lost the most money to business email compromise scams, investment fraud, and romance and confidence schemes.
In addition to statistics, the IC3’s 2021 Internet Crime Report contains information about the most prevalent internet scams affecting the public and offers guidance for prevention and protection. It also highlights the FBI’s work combating internet crime and includes recent case examples. Finally, the 2021 Internet Crime Report explains the IC3, its mission, and functions.
The IC3 gives the public a reliable and convenient mechanism to report suspected internet crime to the FBI.
The FBI analyzes and shares information from submitted complaints for investigative and intelligence purposes, for law enforcement, and for public awareness.
With the release of the 2021 Internet Crime Report, the FBI wants to remind the public to immediately report suspected criminal internet activity to the IC3 at ic3.gov. By reporting internet crime, victims are not only alerting law enforcement to the activity but aiding in the overall fight against cyber crime.
To report an online crime or view IC3’s annual reports and public service announcements, visit ic3.gov.
Karen Corrigan
President
FBI National Citizens Academy Alumni Association
The FBI National Citizens Academy Alumni Association is a nonprofit, all-volunteer organization that works in partnership with the FBI to promote public safety and security through community engagement, education, and outreach initiatives.
Founded in 2005, the organization provides training, resources, and governance oversight for nearly 60 local FBI Citizens Academy Alumni Association chapters representing more than 42,000 business, civic, religious, and community leaders across the U.S., Guam, and Puerto Rico.
Local chapter members are graduates of the FBI Citizen Academy Program, an eight-week immersive education offering designed to engage community leaders in the inner workings, priorities, and outreach mission of the FBI.
Local Chapters Are the Backbone of the Alumni Association
Citizens Academy alumni work hand-in-hand with FBI field offices to develop and deliver outreach programming tailored to local communities. Chapter meetings bring members together on a regular basis to hear presentations on important regional safety and security topics. Alumni volunteer time, expertise, and material support for community service initiatives.
The overarching goal is to help facilitate the FBI’s effectiveness through meaningful programming that creates connections and engagement with diverse communities. Outreach and education are highly targeted to specific community needs, such as:
- Public education programs: Members organize and host public education programs to raise awareness of criminal activities and law enforcement initiatives to address cyber crime, violent extremism, hate crimes, drugs, terrorism, gang activity, public corruption, and other criminal activities specific to local communities.
- Incident and disaster response: Chapters mobilize volunteers and resources to provide support for law enforcement, first responders, and victims of major crimes such as mass shootings or natural disasters such as hurricanes and tornadoes.
- Community outreach events: Citizens Academy alumni work with community partners and the FBI to create and launch outreach events such as cyber safety for kids, senior fraud prevention, combating human trafficking, opioid addiction awareness and prevention, civil rights conferences, diversity and cultural awareness seminars, and active shooter awareness training.
- Law enforcement partnerships: Chapters host events and discussions that facilitate collaborative relationships among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, promote positive community and law enforcement relationships, and honor law enforcement, security personnel, and private citizens who have performed acts of bravery to protect others.
- Community service projects: Each year, members organize hundreds of community service initiatives to help at-risk populations through food and clothing drives, childhood reading programs, senior meals, and school supply donations. Spirit of Giving is an annual campaign through which chapters and alumni provide support over the holidays for individuals and families in need.
Helping to make communities safer for families, neighbors, schools, and businesses requires strong partnerships with individuals and organizations that share our passion and commitment to promote public safety and security.
Members from 58 chapters of the non-profit FBI Citizens Academy Alumni Association gathered for a National Leadership Conference in Las Vegas last fall. The 2022 FBINCAAA National Leadership Conference is scheduled for June 28-30 in Norfolk, Virginia.
Reaching for the Future
Supporting the FBI’s outreach mission through community engagement and education is what the nonprofit, all-volunteer FBI National Citizens Academy Alumni Association and more than 42,000 community and business leaders who have graduated from the FBI Citizens Academy Program are all about.
Every day, local chapter leaders and alumni can be found working side by side with our FBI partners to build stronger and trusting connections in communities across the country. The national association provides expert counsel, training, and resources to ensure success at the local level.
The Albuquerque chapter of the FBI Citizens Academy Alumni Association recently made a generous donation of school supplies, backpacks, and other items for students to the local school district.
Since its founding in 2005, the national organization—led by an all-volunteer board of directors—has built both the governance and operating infrastructure to support its nearly 60 chapters. In the past two years alone, the organization has developed and implemented dozens of new and updated policies, procedures, training programs, and other resources. The organization also invested in technology to create virtual platforms that connect and engage members so innovative ideas and best practices could be shared among chapters.
Looking to the future, work is already underway to develop new resources and techniques that will enable chapter leaders to more rapidly deploy successful programs in local communities.
As citizen ambassadors for the FBI, our members remain committed to strengthening relationships among our FBI partners and the citizens they’ve pledged to protect and serve.
To effectively accomplish its mission, the FBI needs people from different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. The FBI values and leverages human differences, opinions, and perspectives to empower the FBI community to achieve its greatest potential. The FBI’s commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion is integrated into every facet of employment, including leadership and career development, recruitment, staffing, workforce planning, and sustainability. At every level and in every position, the FBI embraces unique perspectives to accomplish its mission.
This spring, FBI staff will participate in several diversity-focused conferences, career fairs, and other events throughout the country to share information about Bureau careers. Employees will attend the Women in Technology Job Fair in Tysons, Virginia; the National Society of Black Engineers Annual Convention in Anaheim, California; the Latino Career Expo in Boston; and multiple virtual events to provide information to potential applicants.
Did you know that the FBI was named as one of DiversityJobs’ Top Employers for 2022 in government? That’s not surprising given the FBI’s concerted efforts in promoting diversity throughout the workforce and ensuring fairness and equality for all employees. The Bureau has also been named one of the Top 10 Government Employers by Woman Engineer magazine for 2021 and one of the Top Government & Law Enforcement Agencies by the Black EOE Journal. The FBI is proud to be recognized as an employer that has shown consistent outreach and dedication to hiring from all diversity groups and will continue to promote equality and inclusion in all areas.
This consistent recognition further emphasizes the FBI’s commitment to diversity and equality within the workplace—be it in the field, in the Lab, or at FBI Headquarters in Washington. At the FBI, everyone is welcome!
FBI Baltimore observed National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month in January. To raise awareness about the different forms of human trafficking, community outreach specialist Marvella Gray distributed materials to employees.
FBI Boston hosted a half-day Teen Academy with the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Holyoke, Massachusetts. The event featured hands-on activities including a forensics and fingerprinting exercise.
From left to right: Little Rock Community Outreach Specialist Maria Hoskins, Little Rock Special Agent in Charge James Dawson, Consul de Mexico Rodolfo Quilantan Arenas, and Deputy Consul Jose Aguilar Salazar met at the Mexican Consulate’s Office in Little Rock, Arkansas, to discuss the civil rights program and community awareness programs for Latin American community leaders.
Rabbi Abraham Cooper visited FBI Headquarters to meet with FBI leaders to discuss the Bureau’s efforts in protecting houses of worship. Rabbi Cooper is the associate dean and director of global social action for the Simon Wiesenthal Center, a leading Jewish human rights organization with more than 400,000 members.
Employees of the FBI Salt Lake Field Office hosted an information booth at the 14th Annual Utah Governor’s Native American Summit at Utah Valley University in Orem. Approximately 500 people attended the event, including members from all eight of Utah’s federally-recognized Native American tribes.
From left to right: WTNH News anchor Laura Hutchinson, Future Law Enforcement Youth Academy alumnus Anthony Sachatello, and New Haven Community Outreach Specialist JoAnn Benson. WTNH TV invited FBI New Haven on air to discuss the Future Law Enforcement Youth Academy. The program, held in partnership with the Yale University Police Department, lets students 16 to 18 explore careers in law enforcement.
Thirty-three employees from FBI Atlanta staffed a booth at the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Culture Homecoming Battle of the Bands Fan Fest. The day-long event, which drew 15,000 attendees, featured musical performances, family-friendly activities, and community building.
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- There are FBI outreach specialists in your community eager to partner with you. Contact your local FBI field office and ask to speak with a community outreach specialist.
