In the fbi what is the difference between agent and special agent

SA Blog. Special Agent Hierarchy. High School to Special Agent. So you want to be an HSI Agent? Why I became a Special Agent? Intelligence analysts and linguists perform duties that are similar to their agent counterparts. They participate in surveillance and directly assist agents with their investigations.

Though professional staff members have to successfully complete background investigations, they are not subjected to the same level of scrutiny as special agents. Agents must undergo substantial training sessions and physical examinations not generally required for professional staff members. Additionally, the working conditions of special agents are much more precarious, as they work in and among criminals and other potentially dangerous people.

The daily duties of an agent are also much more varied, while professional staff members tend to concentrate on their respective specialties. When contemplating a career with the FBI, consider the age and physical ability requirements of a special agent. If you are younger than 37 and able to perform strenuous physical activities, you may be eligible for work as a special agent. If you do not meet these requirements, consider employment with the FBI's professional staff.

The job duties of a special agent and a detective are actually very similar, but there are some key differences. Special agents and detectives are both criminal investigators but the main difference between them is their jurisdiction.

A special agent with the United States government has jurisdiction over federal crimes that occurred within the United States or its territories. A detective on the other hand works for a local or state government agency and has jurisdiction over crimes that occurred within the specific boundaries of the agency that they work for. Criminal investigators, depending on who they are employed with, have authority to investigate crimes in specific areas or jurisdictions.

They both investigate crimes and enforce the laws in which they are sworn to uphold. On many investigations, special agents and detectives actually work together.

Someone robs a bank and runs off with cash. The bank employees call and local police officers arrive. Those local police officers will secure the scene, take initial statements from witnesses and notify the robbery detectives.

The detectives arrive on the scene, gather evidence, review surveillance footage and conduct in-depth interviews of witnesses. Special Agents may also be referred to, or refer to themselves, as "criminal investigators", "federal agents", "U. Agents", "federal officers", or "federal investigators". The latter terms are merely descriptors and not formal titles.

Exactly which U. Special Agents have the broadest authority is a matter of debate. The issue of concurrent jurisdiction in which two agencies have non-exclusive jurisdiction over a given set of the U. However Special Agents of many agencies can enforce any federal law while performing their agency specific duties.