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.
FBI takes action to protect your hard-earned money
As cryptocurrency investment fraud scams blanket the nation, causing unprecedented financial and psychological hardship to tens of thousands of Americans, the FBI is stepping up with a hands-on measure to protect the public.
Operation Level Up is a proactive initiative to identify and notify victims of cryptocurrency investment fraud. Using sophisticated techniques, the FBI identifies victims who are actively being defrauded and promptly intervenes by contacting them.
Since the start of Operation Level Up over a year ago, the FBI has notified more than 4,300 victims in all 50 states. Of these victims, 76 percent were not aware they were being scammed. Through these notification efforts, the FBI estimates it has saved victims more than $285 million.
FBI Buffalo Participates in World Read Aloud Day
On February 5, FBI Buffalo participated in World Read Aloud Day at Flower City School #54 in Rochester, New York. The annual event is a celebration of literacy, community, and the power of storytelling.
Over the past 15 years, World Read Aloud Day has evolved into a global movement involving millions of readers, writers, and listeners from across the globe coming together to honor the joy of reading.
Guest readers from the FBI, the Rochester City School District, the Rochester Mayor’s Office, Rochester Teachers Association, Rochester Police Department, Rochester Fire Department, WHAM Channel 13, WROC Channel 8, and Cameron Community Ministries, as well as community authors, shared their love of books with the students.
Ten Colleges and Universities Represented at the FBI Cincinnati Collegiate Academy
The FBI Cincinnati Field Office hosted students from 10 colleges and universities during the recent Collegiate Academy. These sessions, which ran weekly from January 16 through February 27, gave students an inside look at the FBI.
Through presentations, demonstrations, and discussions, students learned about the FBI’s investigative programs and the Evidence Response Team.
Additionally, students participated in a mock investigation and recovered evidence, interviewed witnesses and suspects, and solved the case. Students also explored internship and career opportunities while developing practical resume and interviewing skills.
Members of the FBI Tampa's Citizens Academy Alumni Association Serve as Role Players During Required Training
Recently, alumni from FBI Tampa's Citizens Academy program served as role players for training with the Hostage Rescue Team and the Special Weapons and Tactics group. These individuals are part of the local Citizens Academy Alumni Association, a nonprofit organization that supports the FBI’s mission through volunteer work that highlights safety awareness and the Bureau’s essential role in the community.
The FBI Citizens Academy Program gives community leaders a behind-the-scenes look at how the Bureau investigates crimes and national security threats. Over the course of these six-to-eight-week programs, Bureau personnel explain the finer points of investigating crime scenes, firearms safety, and how the FBI relies on partnerships to protect and serve the community.
Each of the FBI’s 55 field offices hosts a Citizens Academy, and more than 45,000 people have graduated from
the program. For more information on how you can participate in the Citizens Academy program, please contact your local field office.
The FBI Marks the 75th Anniversary of the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives List
On March 14, the FBI marked the 75th anniversary of one of its most iconic crime-fighting tools: the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list.
The list is a critical tool in the FBI’s efforts to bring dangerous fugitives to justice. It also underscores the power of public awareness in the pursuit of the nation’s most elusive and violent offenders. Since its inception on March 14, 1950, 535 fugitives have appeared on the list and 496 have been apprehended or located — many due to tips from citizens. To date, public tips have led to the arrest of 163 fugitives on the list.
National Threat Operations Center Helps Protect the Public
The National Threat Operations Center is the FBI’s point of contact for the public to submit tips about federal crimes and violations.
In cases where tip information provided to NTOC lacks a federal nexus, NTOC supports law enforcement and public safety through information sharing initiatives with state and local law enforcement agencies. The tips more appropriately addressed by state or local law enforcement can be shared through the National Data Exchange, the International Justice and Public Safety Network, and Public Safety Answering Points.
To submit tips, members of the public can call 1-800-CALL-FBI or use the FBI’s tip portal at tips.fbi.gov. In fiscal 2024, the NTOC received more than 1.6 million e-tips and calls. High-profile incidents or FBI public announcements about cases can drive increases in the number of tips received daily.
Callers sometimes express or report a threat to life, which is any tip that contains information of a threat to human life or any threat of serious bodily injury or significant violent action. Threats to life (TTL) can include, but are not limited to, mass shooting threats and specific violent threats against law enforcement officers.
When NTOC receives a tip containing a TTL without a federal nexus, NTOC can send the information to the appropriate fusion center if the field office and fusion center participate in the dual route initiative. The corresponding FBI field office receives a copy of the TTL information. In cases of TTLs with a federal nexus, the report is forwarded directly to the FBI field office.
If FBI field offices and state fusion centers are not participating in the initiative, the information is sent to the jurisdictional FBI field office, where it is forwarded or acted upon appropriately. When sharing information about TTLs, a report is drafted, and NTOC personnel call the appropriate fusion center or field office to communicate about the urgency of the circumstances and those involved.
Learn more about NTOC:
- No Average Call: A Look Inside the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center (story)
- The e-tip form is available at tips.fbi.gov
The NTOC appreciates and values its relationships with criminal justice partners and their collaboration to protect the public.
The National Threat Operations Center is part of the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services Division, a high-tech hub in the hills of West Virginia that provides a range of state of-the-art tools and services to law enforcement, national security and intelligence community partners, and the general public.
Information from “CJIS Division 2024 Year in Review.” For additional information, visit le.fbi.gov/cjis-division.
Students from Vertus Charter School in Rochester, New York, learned about the art of dusting for fingerprints during a recent Teen Academy hosted by FBI Buffalo. The event was conducted in partnership with a mentoring program called GoBeyond Rochester.
Retired Special Agent Alex Murray and Special Agent Mike Rod spoke with over 50 participants at the San Diego Oasis Senior Center about how to prevent and avoid elder fraud and scams.
FBI Tampa hosted a half-day college tour for students from the University of Florida and Saint Leo University. Participants met agents, analysts, operational teams, and professional staff.
On March 10, personnel from FBI New York attended the High-Level Reception and Ramadan Iftar dinner in Manhattan, hosted by the Journalists and Writers Foundation. Held at the Penthouse 45 rooftop venue, the evening brought together community and interfaith leaders, academics, and youth advocates to celebrate.
Together with the Utah Department of Workforce Services, employees from FBI Salt Lake City shared information about the Regional Computer Forensics Lab. After the presentation, students were encouraged to try on FBI raid jackets and live their "FBI moment."
FBI Anchorage conducted an FBI 101 and internet safety presentation—with a focus on sextortion awareness—to over 1,100 students and faculty at a middle school in Anchorage.
In March, Kirkland Police Department cadets and officers visited FBI Seattle to learn about the FBI and its mission. The Violent Crimes Against Children squad hosted a roundtable discussion about crimes affecting children, and cadets toured the Ops Center, Command Post, and the State Fusion Center.
Staff from FBI San Diego attended the El Centro Airshow. This is the Imperial Valley’s largest one-day event, with nearly 7,500 guests from the local community and beyond. The FBI shared information from fbijobs.gov and the Elder Justice Task Force and let kids try on vests.
Since 1947, Gasparilla Children’s Parade has entertained crowds with floats, community groups, and more. This year, FBI Tampa partnered with the FBI Tampa Citizens Academy Alumni Association to walk the 1.5-mile parade route and pass out beads to community members.
The FBI New York Explorers, supported by the local field office and the FBI New York Citizens Academy Alumni Association, recently earned a gold award for their program. Explorers are students between the ages of 15 and 17 who are interested in learning about law enforcement careers. Bureau staff teach Explorers about crime prevention and investigative techniques.
Recently, the Chick-fil-A security team welcomed the Bureau to its Corporate Support Center for the inaugural Security Showcase. The event introduced corporate personnel to Chick-fil-A’s security partners. FBI Atlanta staff spoke with employees about the FBI’s role in corporate partnerships, community outreach programs, and other partnerships.
FBI Seattle Special Agent in Charge Mike Herrington and the 2025 graduates of the FBI/Seattle University Practicum received certificate at an awards ceremony in February. The practicum began in 2009 and evolved into a two-day program for graduate and undergraduate students of the Criminal Justice, Criminology, and Forensics Department.
FBI Salt Lake City personnel presented information on the critical role of cybersecurity to students at Utah Tech University in St. George. The students also learned how to be safer online.
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