FBI and Justice Department adjust hiring practices as they work to rebuild staffing
The Facts
- The FBI and Justice Department are trying to rebuild their workforces after a wave of departures over the past year.
- Leaders at the FBI and Justice Department have eased some hiring requirements and accelerated recruitment as part of that rebuilding effort.
- The FBI has used social media campaigns to attract applicants.
- The FBI has offered abbreviated or shortened training for candidates coming from other federal agencies.
- The FBI has relaxed some requirements for support staff who want to become agents.
- The Justice Department has allowed U.S. attorney's offices to hire some prosecutors directly out of law school to help fill vacancies.
- Some current and former officials say the hiring changes risk lowering long-accepted standards.
Context
Why are the FBI and Justice Department changing hiring practices now?
The agencies are responding to staffing shortages after a year of departures that included resignations, retirements and firings, according to the reporting Daily Mail,Economic Times.
What changes has the FBI made to recruitment and training?
The FBI has used social media to recruit applicants, offered shortened training for some candidates from other federal agencies, and relaxed some requirements for support staff seeking agent roles Daily Mail,WebProNews.
What has changed for Justice Department prosecutor hiring?
The Justice Department has opened the door for U.S. attorney's offices to hire some prosecutors directly out of law school to help address vacancies Daily Mail,Access WDUN.
How left and right read it
After a wave of departures, the FBI and Justice Department are trying to restore capacity by speeding recruitment and widening entry points, including social media outreach, shorter training for some candidates from other agencies, and direct hiring of some prosecutors out of law school. The real question is whether they can rebuild these core institutions without sacrificing standards that current and former officials say have long mattered.
The FBI and Justice Department are responding to staffing losses by loosening some hiring requirements, shortening training for certain candidates, and letting some U.S. attorney's offices hire prosecutors directly out of law school. For agencies with such consequential law-enforcement powers, concerns from current and former officials about lowering long-accepted standards are the central issue.
The receipts — 11 sources
Wire services (5)
Independent coverage (6)
The news, read by both sides.
The day’s biggest stories in one short brief, built to show both sides and the competing values behind the headlines. Free in your inbox.