Slides for Organizational Communication class

1. Diversity and the FBI
JOSEPH B. MEADOWS

2. FBI Fast Facts
 Domestic intelligence and security service
 Nation’s prime law enforcement service
 Operates under the jurisdiction of the
Department of Justice
 Reports to US Attorney General and Director
of National Intelligence

3. Role of the FBI
Operations of the FBI include:
o Counterterrorism
o Counterintelligence
o Investigation of over 200 categories of
federal crimes

4. OPEN RACISM IN THE OFFICE
 As late as the 1990’s, African American FBI were subject to
hostility in the workplace, threats of violence from their peers,
and even had family members subject to threats.
 The case of Donald Rochon drew national attention to the FBI
and the open intolerance amongst the agents.
 in 2001, the FBI was found to be systematically discriminating
against African Americans in a class action lawsuit

5. Post 9-11 Cultural Shift
In a speech given to the National Conference of Historically Black Colleges in
2002, FBI Director Robert Mueller laid out the designs for a new culturally
diverse FBI. The plans for the future FBI were designed to modernize the
agency and to attempt to increase the number of minorities serving as field
agents. As early as 2002, the FBI was more than aware that it’s staffing was
racially lopsided.

6. Early Attempts to Recruit
 The FBI in 2002 began a campaign to recruit minority agents into the
agency. To accomplish this the FBI utilized the following:
o The NAACP
o National Organization of Black Law Enforcement
o Annual Black College Spring Break Career Fair
o Annual Women of Color Awards Conference
 Despite these efforts the FBI failed in its efforts to equalize the agency or
minority hiring.

7. Current Ethnic make up of the FBI
83
5 7 4 1
0
20
40
60
80
100
White African American Latino Asian Other
Percent
FBI Ethnic Break Down
Race

8. Current Gender Disparity in the FBI
80
20
Gender
Male Female

9. Loss of Diversity
85.5
86.69
86.12
5.6
4.74
4.5
6.9
7.14
6.81
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
2000
2012
2015
Chart Title
Latino Black White

10. FBI Senior Officials
5 2.8
91.2
0
20
40
60
80
100
2015
Senior FBI Officials by Race
African American Latino White

11. Was Progress Being Made?
 By the raw data, it appears that minorities were increasing slowly between
2000 and 2012
 Something significant happened (internally or externally) that caused the
FBI to suffer a loss of minority agents
 Racial animosity in the population as well as anger against police from
minorities could be the root cause for this loss
 Attitudes in leadership and high ranking officials within th agency could
also be a cause

12. A Justifiably Hostile Population
 2012, was what some could argue the beginning of the anti-police
movement in America, though it began with a civilian shooting.
 Tamir Rice
 Michael Brown
 Sandra Bland
 Alton Sterling
 Eric Garner
 These names should never be forgotten as they represent a systematically
biased, corrupt, and racist police force in America.
 With this atmosphere, it is little wonder that the FBI has difficulty recruiting
minorities into the agency.

13. The Poisoned Well
 America’s inner cities are more often than not crime ridden, drug and
alcohol dependent, violent areas in which vast numbers of minorities are
forced to live due to economic hardship
 These areas by there nature make it next to impossible for individuals to
receive a quality education or to enter into adulthood without some type
of criminal record
 For these reasons alone it is easy to understand why there are fewer
minorities working for the FBI, seeing as how it requires a college degree
and no criminal record to complete an application process
 All the recruiting in the world will not change the FBI until something is
done about the systemic racism that permeates society at its foundations
in America

14. James Comey
 When asked about the lack of diversity in the bureau in 2014,
FBI Director James Comey responded:
 “Big challenge for the FBI. The FBI is overwhelmingly
white and male. . . . And I’ve got nothing against
white males: I happen to be one.”
 On its face this hardly seems like the comment of a man that
is working to diversify the workforce at the FBI.

15. New Times, New Effort
 The new era of cybercrime has led to a renewed effort by the FBI to recruit
minorities into the expanded technology fields.
 Meetings with the:
 National Urban League
 Congressional Black Caucus
 National Bar Association
 National Association of Hispanic MBAs
 The Assistant Director of Human Resources, James Turgal, said “I’m trying
everything I can to get minority candidates in the door.”

16. Alternate Recruitment Pool
 Proponents argue the FBI would be better served recruiting from state and
local police forces rather than recent college graduates
 These potential agents have displayed a desire to serve the community,
the commitment to complete the mission, as well as the wherewithal to
become FBI agents
 This pool of applicants would seem to be ready made for the FBI, however
has is a potential downside, as any officer recruited to the FBI is lost to the
community

17. Private Economy Competition
 The FBI requires candidates have a college degree and several years
experience (seasoning as they call it)
 The average age of new hires is 29
 Many positions that are needed to be filed by the FBI are in highly
technical fields (programming, chemistry, forensics).
 By the time candidates are prepared for the FBI application process,
many have high paying jobs in the public sector
 Director Comey refers to this hiring barrier are “golden handcuffs”,
meaning potential FBI agents would rather remain at higher paying
jobs than serve in the agency

18. Agents vs. Non-agent
(Professional Workforce)
While there is a
significant
disparity in the FBI
workforce for
both Agents and
non-agents, the
professional
workforce does
have a higher
minority
population.
0
20
40
60
80
100
Agent Non-Agent
Chart Title
Minority White

19. Continuing Programs of Recruitment
 The FBI, as well as all federal agencies, continues to actively recruit
minorities
 Recruiting drives with African American organizations as well as direct
recruitment at historically black colleges
 Moving away from “cloak and dagger” agents and modernizing into the
cyber age requires more highly educated candidates
 Leadership at the agency and desire of diversity plays a significant role in
policy implementation

20. Questions?
 Would the FBI be better served recruiting law enforcement officers or is
there a fear of reduced minority saturation at the municipal level? How
much does the local/state/county population play in FBI recruitment of law
enforcement officials?
 One of the most successful recruitment slogans is “be the change you
want”, yet the FBI does not use this type of approach when recruiting. The
FBI is a “bedrock” agency within the government and I would have to ask it
there is concern over too many agents demanding/requesting change at
one time (especially in todays political climate).

21. Work Cited
Gerstein, Josh. 2015. New FBI Numbers Show Decline in Black Agent Ranks. Politico. Viewed
09 November, 2016. http://www.politico.com/story/2015/02/fbi-diversity-statistics-115428
Horwitz, Sari. 2015. As U.S. pushes police to diversify, FBI Struggles to Get Minorities in the
Door. Washington Post. View 08 November, 2016.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/as-us-pushes-police-to- diversify-
fbi-struggles-to-get-minorities-in-the-door/2015/03/12/01bd5806-c753-11e4-b2a1-
bed1aaea2816_story.html
Lichtblau, Eric. 2001. FBI Settles Black Agents' Discrimination Lawsuit. LA Times. Viewed 08
November, 2016. http://articles.latimes.com/2001/may/01/news/mn-57894
Mueller, Robert S. 2002. National Conference of the National Historically Black Colleges
and Universities Conference Speech. FBI. Viewed 07 November, 2016.
https://archives.fbi.gov/archives/news/speeches/fbi-diversity-employment-in-a-
new-age-of-global-terror
Smith, Wes. 1990. Fbi Agent: Settlement A `Total Victory`. Chicago Tribune. Viewed 10 November,
2016. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1990-08-10/news/9003070215_1_donald-rochon-fbi-
agent-chicago-and-omaha