Albany Outreach to Law School Students

The Outreach - Winter 2022

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. 


January Is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month 

Since 2010, the month of January has been declared the National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. This month, law enforcement agencies strive to raise awareness about the different forms of human trafficking.

Human trafficking is the illegal exploitation of a person. In the United States, both U.S. residents and foreign nationals are being bought and sold like modern-day slaves. Traffickers may use violence, manipulation, or false promises of well-paying jobs or romantic relationships to exploit victims. Victims are often beaten, starved, and forced to work as prostitutes or to take grueling jobs as domestic, restaurant, factory or agriculture workers with long hours far exceeding the average work week with little or no pay.

The FBI investigates all forms of human trafficking, regardless of the victim’s age or nationality. These cases are worked under the Bureau’s Crimes Against Children and Human Trafficking program, which takes a trauma informed, victim-centered approach.
Under the human trafficking program, the FBI investigates:

  • Sex trafficking: When individuals are compelled by force, fraud, or coercion to engage in commercial sex acts. Sex trafficking of a minor occurs when the victim is under the age of 18. For cases involving minors, it is not necessary to prove force, fraud, or coercion.
  • Labor trafficking: When individuals are compelled by force, threats, or fraud to perform labor or service.
  • Domestic servitude: When individuals within a household working as nannies, housekeepers, or other types of domestic help are being controlled and exploited.

Learn more about the FBI’s human trafficking investigations

January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month. If you are a victim of human trafficking or if you have a tip about a potential trafficking situation, call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733.

Report Trafficking and Get Help 

If you are a human trafficking victim or have information about a potential trafficking situation, call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733. NHTRC operates a national, toll-free hotline, with specialists available to answer calls from anywhere in the country, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also submit a tip on the National Human Trafficking Hotline website

If you believe a child is involved in a trafficking situation, submit a tip through the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s CyberTipline or call 1-800-THE-LOST. FBI personnel assigned to NCMEC review information provided to the CyberTipline. 


Spotlight on Student Program 

Law school students visited the Albany Field Office and met with Bureau staff to discuss future career opportunities and participated in hands-on activities.

Law school students visited the Albany Field Office and met with Bureau staff to discuss future career opportunities and participated in hands-on activities.


Norfolk Future Agents in Training

Last summer, 30 students completed the week-long Future Agents in Training Program hosted by the Norfolk Field Office.

Student programs are a vital component of the FBI’s Community Outreach Program. Field offices throughout the country work closely with schools to create and facilitate exciting lessons to share information about the ways law enforcement helps to serve and protect communities.

The Teen Academy and Youth Academy programs give high school and middle school students a comprehensive look into today’s FBI. Generally, each course iteration is a minimum of eight hours. However, some field offices offer a week-long program with a mix of classroom instruction and interactive demonstrations.

Students are given briefings on terrorism, cyber-crime, public corruption, polygraph exams, evidence response, SWAT, the day-to-day operations of a typical FBI office, and other topics. Students also learn from special agents, intelligence analysts, language specialists, and other professional staff about investigative tactics like gathering evidence, interviewing witnesses, and assisting with cases. 

Last summer, the Norfolk Field Office hosted a Future Agents in Training (FAIT) Program for local students age 16 to 18. This five-day program gave the students a better understanding of the FBI and what it takes to keep America safe. Staff discussed the various positions and career paths that work closely together to uphold the Constitution and keep citizens safe. Students visited the Norfolk office and other locations, while participating in both classroom instruction as well as hands-on activities. Class topics ranged from the importance of using good judgement online to what crimes the FBI is responsible for investigating. Last year, 30 students graduated from the FAIT program.

Students participate in an exercise during an FBI Richmond Teen Academy session

The Richmond Field Office held a Teen Academy where students got an up close and personal tour of a Black Hawk.

In Richmond, Virginia, FBI personnel from the counterin­telligence, violent crime, civil rights, and counterterrorism squads gave presentations during its Teen Academy. Addi­tionally, students were able to participate in demonstrations with bomb techs, SWAT Team, Evidence Response Team, and Computer Analysis Response Team staff. Working closely with the Virginia State Police, participants also experienced a distracted driving simulator to remind new drivers to stay safe on the roads. Partners with the Henrico County Police led a discussion on safe law enforcement interactions. On the final day, the FBI Hostage Rescue Team flew in a Black Hawk helicopter and fast-roped to the ground, then let the teens climb inside while team members shared information on their mission.

The Albany Field Office in New York hosted a group of law school students, who had interned last summer with the U.S. Attorneys’ offices. Bureau personnel shared ways the students could use their legal background to work for the FBI in the future and participated in fun, hands-on activities showcasing the good work of FBI Albany.


The American Jewish Committee Provides Training to Help the FBI Protect and Serve the Jewish Community 

Officials from the American Jewish Committee (AJC) recently gave a presentation on understanding and recognizing contemporary antisemitism to more than 35 FBI community outreach specialists across the country.

Bridget B. Patton, Public Affairs and Community Outreach Specialist in the Kansas City Field Office, helped to coor­dinate the AJC presentation with FBI Headquarters staff. Patton said that having a solid relationship with community partners is paramount to building a successful outreach program. “We must take the time to learn and understand their cultural, religious, and ethnic differences, as well as the challenges that they face. Doing so can only enhance what we—as representatives of the FBI—can do to assist and keep our communities safer,” added Patton.

The AJC is the leading global Jewish advocacy organiza­tion, working to impact policy and opinion on some of the most important issues facing the Jewish people. AJC’s mission is to enhance the well-being of the Jewish people and Israel, and to advance human rights and democratic values in the U.S. and around the world.

The presenters gave a comprehensive definition of antisemitism and discussed why antisemitic incidents tend to increase around elections, Jewish holidays, and when there is an uptick in violence in the Middle East. Additionally, participants learned about the four distinct categories of antisemitism: hatred toward Jews; stereotypes and scapegoating; Holocaust denial and Holocaust comparison; and inappropriately invoking Israel. The presentation also included tips for helping fight antisemitism.

Presentations were made by Holly R. Huffnagel, the U.S. director for combating antisemitism, and Gavriela Geller, director of AJC/Jewish Community Relations Bureau Kansas City.

Learn more about the FBI's work to prevent and investigate hate crimes.

Holly R. Huffnagle, who serves as the American Jewish Committee's U.S. director for combating antisemitism, co-hosted a presentation on understanding and recognizing contemporary antisemitism for Bureau personnel in 2022.

Holly R. Huffnagle, the American Jewish Committee's U.S. director for combating antisemitism, co-hosted a presentation on understanding and recognizing contemporary antisemitism for Bureau personnel.


“Not a religion, not a race; Jews are a people.”
- Holly Huffnagle, U.S. director for combating antisemitism, the American Jewish Committee


FBI Job Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities 

The FBI is an Equal Opportunity Employer: all qualified applicants will receive consideration.

The FBI welcomes and encourages applications from persons with physical and mental disabilities and will reasonably accommodate their needs. Granting reasonable accommodations is made on a case-by-case basis. The FBI is firmly committed to satisfying its affirmative obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to ensure that persons with disabilities have every opportunity to be hired and advanced on the basis of merit within the FBI.

The Office of Equal Employment Opportunity Affairs manages the FBI’s equal employment programs, policies, and procedures. The office provides the guidance and tools to ensure the FBI mission is accomplished in an environment free from discrimination, retaliation, and disruption.

Persons with disabilities interested in pursuing FBI employment should e-mail resumes to Sheri Armstrong-Hardy, the FBI’s Selective Placement Program coordinator, at RSUrecruiting@fbi.gov.

Except where otherwise provided by law, selec­tion will be made without regard to, and there will be no discrimination because of, race, religion, color, national origin, sex, political affiliations, marital status, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, membership or non-membership in an employee organization, or on the basis of personal favoritism or other non-merit factors.

In December 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice, the FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and six other federal law enforce­ment agencies announced the completion of the third annual Money Mule Initiative.

The coordinated operation disrupts the networks through which transnational fraudsters move the proceeds of their fraud: mules help move the illicit funds back to the fraud organizers, many of whom are located abroad.

Some money mules know they are helping fraudsters, but others are unaware that their actions enable fraudsters’ efforts to swindle money from consumers, businesses, and government unemployment funds.

Stock graphic of man in spotlight casting mule shadow on the ground with other people in the background.

U.S. law enforcement agencies took action against over 2,300 money mules, far surpassing last year’s effort against more than 600 money mules. In 2021, actions occurred in every state in the country. The initiative targeted money mules involved in a wide range of schemes including lotter fraud, romance scams, government imposter fraud, technical support fraud, business email compromise or CEO fraud, and unemployment insurance fraud. Many of these schemes target elderly or vulnerable members of society.

Learn more about money mules, warning signs, and ways to protect yourself


Community Outreach in Action 

Baltimore Backpack Drive

The Baltimore Field Office hosts a backpack drive, providing book bags filled with school supplies and “All About the FBI” activity books to Soldiers Outreach Inc.

Kansas City Citizens Academy Alumni Association Gifts for Toy Drive

The Kansas City Citizens Academy Alumni Association participates in a toy drive for the Kansas City Police Department. The toys collected are provided to children during crisis and emergency response calls.

Philadelphia Gifts for Adopt-a-Family

The Philadelphia Field Office gathers gifts for the less fortunate that were donated to approximately 60 children through the annual Adopt-a-Family for the Holiday Program. Pictured are: Tanya Jeter, community outreach specialist (left), and Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire.


The FBI’s Community Outreach Program 

Logo of the FBI's Community Outreach Program.

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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.

Learn more about the FBI's Community Outreach program.