Date: March 20th, 2010 12:11 AM Author: Mildly Autistic Hell Pocket Flask
Suppose you call someone and ask him to chat with you. What happens if he refuses? What if he says he wants to talk to a lawyer first? Would you ever give him a list of questions you'll ask before meeting him?
Date: March 20th, 2010 1:29 PM Author: Vigorous point cumskin
IF you ask them to chat and they refuse, my guess is that you might try to get probable cause to bring them in for questioning. If they asked for a lawyer or pleaded the fifth you'd be out of luck. Not much you can do there.
Date: March 20th, 2010 1:40 PM Author: Vigorous point cumskin
Terry vs. Ohio might be the seminal case there. Learned that in Barbri.
This case holds that it is reasonable for an officer to stop an individual absent probable cause to arrest, as long as he/she can point to "specific articulable facts" that justify the intrusion. An officer's good faith and/or inarticulate hunches simply aren't enough.
In order to reach its decision, the Terry court basically distinguished between two standards that are necessarily involved with any stop, detention, and/or arrest: reasonable belief and reasonable suspicion.
In essence, a reasonable belief is probable cause. Probable cause means that a reasonable and cautious officer would believe that criminal activity is or was taking place. This is the level of proof that is required to arrest and even to conduct a prolonged investigation.
A reasonable suspicion is a lesser standard. Only a reasonable suspicion is necessary in order to stop an individual who an officer suspects may be involved in criminal activity.
IMO, merely refusing to talk would be NOT be enough.
No one who's in law school has the energy or inclination to read this kind of response, either. I just read the first and last lines, assuming he'd copy-pasted.
Date: March 23rd, 2010 12:50 PM Author: lilac thriller mood
Yea, you pretty much copied that from Wiki. You should've taken CrimPro before you graduated. To summarize, a "Terry Stop" (aka "stop & frisk") is an exception to the Probable Cause requirement of reasonable searches & seizures under the 4th Amndmnt. It requires a slightly lower standard(reasonable suspicion) and the initial stop must merely be a "brief detainment" if any.
Date: March 20th, 2010 2:06 PM Author: obsidian cerebral library hairy legs
I dont know what the issue was. Guy says he was totally honest. He went to a foreign university though and was the child of foreign born parents. Quality dood though.
Date: March 20th, 2010 2:10 PM Author: Vigorous point cumskin
Agree. Many people fail based on inconclusive results. The FBI has so many applicants they can afford to only accept people who can successfully pass the poly. Yeah they lose qualified applicants but each one they lose is easily replaced.
Date: March 20th, 2010 1:32 PM Author: Vigorous point cumskin
The Phase I exam was not tough. I think over 50% of the people pass it. There is a logical reasoning portion that is easy compared to the LSAT. I think I got 100% correct on it and had plenty of time to triple check my answers. There are two other sections on the test that basically test your personality to see how good of a "fit" you'd be. No way to really study for those portions. The fbijobs website has some sample questions so you can see what I mean.
Date: March 20th, 2010 1:54 PM Author: Vigorous point cumskin
Check out fbijobs.gov, there should be a link there to the headquarters office nearest to your city. If you go to the relevant headquarters site, there will probably be a link to the relevant job application on usajobs.gov. If you're interested in FBI maybe also check out CIA, ICE, Homeland Security. Secret service is another popular one.
Date: March 20th, 2010 1:54 PM Author: Vigorous point cumskin
I think if it was experimental only and happened over 10 years ago you'd be ok. You could take a shot at omitting it, but that would really suck for you to put in all the work getting to the polygraph and then failing that.
Date: March 20th, 2010 2:15 PM Author: Vigorous point cumskin
Depends. Average ago for joining FBI is around 30. I think the cutoff age for joining is 38 or something like that. You could always do the law thing for a few years and apply later. I don't think FBI jobs are going anywhere....although right now is a good time to apply since they are really hiring a lot of people.
Date: March 20th, 2010 1:57 PM Author: Vigorous point cumskin
beats sitting at a desk 15 hours a day doing bullshit. edit: the job security is great too. After 3 or 4 years I'd be around 100k, and after 20 years you can retire with a sweet pension.
Date: March 20th, 2010 2:44 PM Author: Maroon Buck-toothed Corner
what was your law practice like? JD school? do they look down on people whose special qualification is a JD as opposed to people with "real" skills like chem engineering PhDs or language specialists?
Date: March 20th, 2010 2:50 PM Author: Exhilarant circlehead mediation
Well u know there is a special FBI unit dedicated to monitoring xo. Perhaps they want to encourage insiders to come forward and join the fight against gross old man and TBF
Date: March 21st, 2010 4:25 PM Author: Vigorous point cumskin
If special agents have to spend their time monitoring this site for people answering FBI applicant questions then the job probably isn't a good fit for me anyways
Date: March 20th, 2010 6:56 PM Author: Vigorous point cumskin
Not sure. If they do I'm sure the background check would take much longer than usual. Also you have to give up citizenship in any other country, a process that can take over a year.
Date: March 20th, 2010 4:57 PM Author: Bat Shit Crazy Dopamine Abode
1- did u go straight out of school or from a firm job?
2- if the latter, do you get a pay bump for your experience
3- what critical skill(s) did u apply under?
4- is it crucial to have multiple ones to offer: lang + law for example
5- do FBI spec agent w jd degrees do different jobs than others?
6- does risk of death scare you
7- any idea what the avg pension is like for a 20y vet?
8- do jd degree holders need 1+, 3 or no experience to be eligible
9- any downside to applying beyond age 30
10- if you had a firm job, did FBI contact your firm prior to hiring you? How does that work and any way to avoid it? I ask because if my biglaw fi found out that I had applied to FBI, I would be out of a job, look uncommitted (in case I sdidnt end up getting it or taking it)
Date: March 20th, 2010 7:14 PM Author: Vigorous point cumskin
1. From a firm job.
2. Nope.
3. Law & accounting
4. nah even 1 is fine, but I think more than 1 critical skills helps in getting the phase II interview
5 yeah there are different career tracks, one of which is for lawyers
6 nope. I'm looking forward to the excitement and am pumped about getting firearms training. i doubt there's much chance of dying anyways; most of the agents I met spend most of their time behind a desk
7 not sure but in the past I think it has been 70% of your normal salary.
8 I think with a JD you need 1 year of work experience. people without a JD need three years experience
9 not that i know of. As long as you apply before you're near the cutoff age of 38 i think you're fine
10 FBI contacted every employer I've ever worked for, and talked to many of my old co-workers too. No way to avoid it. The background check is VERY thorough
Date: March 20th, 2010 7:24 PM Author: Vigorous point cumskin
you get the conditional letter of employment after passing Phase II. It's conditional upon passing the physical fitness test, medical test and background check.
I was already laid off so people at my firm were happy to help me out and be interviewed for the background check
Date: March 20th, 2010 8:08 PM Author: Vigorous point cumskin
good call. pay off loans, save some cash, then do a career you like. maybe you'll get to the point at your law firm where you like the work you're doing. senior associates and partners seem to be doing some cool stuff, compared to junior associates anyways...
Date: March 20th, 2010 7:32 PM Author: Vigorous point cumskin
Yea makes sense. Tough call but at least you have a job and can make some money during the process. It takes about a year, so it's been tough for me to keep my finances afloat while waiting.
Date: March 20th, 2010 7:38 PM Author: Vigorous point cumskin
Polygraph is one of the first steps of the background check. The actual calls and in-person interviews with your employers and co-workers wouldn't happen for at least a few months after passing the poly. I think they will contact your current employer at the very end of the background check if you ask them to.
Date: March 20th, 2010 7:51 PM Author: Vigorous point cumskin
Not necessarily. People fail the background checks. You wouldn't know if you failed until maybe a month after the check was completed. Also, people do fail out of the Quantico training as well...
Date: March 20th, 2010 7:26 PM Author: Vigorous point cumskin
I think the career track is basically whatever you want it to be. There are a lot of different projects and you just go to what looks interesting. Not sure beyond that as there isnt much information available. Even going through the year long interview process I havent been given much information at all.
I think as a law enforcement officer you can wear the gun many places that normal people can't.
Date: March 20th, 2010 7:36 PM Author: Vigorous point cumskin
Yes, I was told that in the FBI you have many opportunities to develop your career in the way that you want. I'm also interested mainly in white collar.
It seems like you'd make great connections with the AUSA people working on cases with them. That's gotta help. Plus, I think most government agencies like the DOJ give a good boost to applicants who are already employed with the federal government.
Date: March 20th, 2010 7:04 PM Author: Vigorous point cumskin
After you pass Phase I they have you submit a resume and answer some questions about your qualifications. Headquarters reviews that stuff and then pick the best candidates for a Phase II interview. Phase II consists of a one-hour interview with multiple agents and a written exam.
There's a book on applying for FBI jobs at Barnes & Noble that gives tons of sample questions used for the Phase II interviews. If you get that far I recommend checking it out.
They don't give any feedback during the whole selection process, just whether you passed or not.
Date: March 20th, 2010 7:07 PM Author: Vigorous point cumskin
Hmm... I don't remember if it was weekend or weekday....
There's an FBI office in almost every state, and many states have multiple offices. You probably won't have to travel too far if you live near any major city. They don't pay for any expenses during the application process.
Date: March 20th, 2010 7:08 PM Author: Vigorous point cumskin
I don't think grades are a big factor. Seems like B average or better would be fine. Not sure how big a boost URM status gives; it's tough to get information on this stuff.
Date: March 20th, 2010 7:28 PM Author: Vigorous point cumskin
Maybe his college degree was in computers or accounting or something like that. That is interesting that his teaching experience was counted as experience in one of the critical field areas...
Date: March 20th, 2010 7:55 PM Author: Vigorous point cumskin
You'd probably get a good push towards the counter-terrorism groups at first. But I think you'd still have plenty of opportunities to direct your career to other areas once you're in. I've talked to agents who did one area for awhile then when they got bored of it switched to something else. One guy i talked to started in computers and ended up joining a drugs& gang-related practice group so he could get out on the streets more.
Date: March 20th, 2010 7:57 PM Author: Vigorous point cumskin
yes. some people wait years for their opportunity. i was fortunate and called called for phase II only a few weeks after passing phase I. depends on the hiring needs and your background. Right now the FBI is trying to hire around 1000 agents this year, which is way more than usual. People are probably moving through faster than normal.
Date: March 20th, 2010 8:00 PM Author: Vigorous point cumskin
you'd have a good shot at getting called in for phase I. after that, just depends on how you do on their tests. lots of people get winnowed out during phase I, phase II, polygraph, fitness test, etc....
Date: March 20th, 2010 8:02 PM Author: Vigorous point cumskin
i think you'd be eligible for special agent if you had a year of work experience before law school. there are lots of support positions you'd be eligible for too. check the website...
Date: March 20th, 2010 8:33 PM Author: Vigorous point cumskin
low salary. dealing with gov bureaucracy on a daily basis. forced moving to wherever the fbi needs you. having to spend five months at Quantico in a dorm room shared with another applicant. three year minimum commitment to fbi. chance of death/injury. commitment to working at least 50 hours per week. having to do the background check to renew your top secret clearance every 5 years. periodic polygraph and drug testing. physical fitness requirements (if you don't enjoy working out).
Date: March 20th, 2010 8:58 PM Author: Vigorous point cumskin
any crime that violates a federal statutes is fair game, as well as criminals who travel between states... so you could be dealing with dangerous drug cartels, terrorists, violent offenders / sexual predators, bank robbers, etc... just check the fbi's ten most wanted and you can see some of the dangerous types you could be working against (bin laden is on there, for example).
Agents carry the bureau issued glock pistol. Also, I think agents are eligible to have automatic weapons that are illegal for non-law enforcement people.
"agents in training must qualify with a Bureau-issued handgun and shotgun. For the handgun, students must shoot a minimum of 80 percent or better on two of three record attempts on the qualification course. The cumulative score must average 80 percent or better on all three record attempts. For the shotgun, trainees must shoot a minimum of 80 percent or better on one of two record attempts. The students must also demonstrate familiarity with the Bureau submachine gun and the Bureau carbine. Agent trainees fire approximately 3,900 rounds of ammunition during their 20 weeks at the Academy. They also participate in drills using simulated firearms training equipment—much like a sophisticated video game—that tests their ability to make split-second decisions in life-or-death situations."
Date: March 20th, 2010 9:16 PM Author: Vigorous point cumskin
I wasn't particularly strong in any area so my focus was on getting 3 points in each of the 4 events. many of the women are weak the the push-ups area so they had to compensate on sit-ups and the 1.5 mile (of course the women are on an easier scoring scale too, but whatever...)
Date: March 20th, 2010 9:06 PM Author: Bonkers rigor field
First, of all, yeah, great thread. I can tell you're a good dude too because you like MW2.
Question: Marijuana usage. My history is not extensive whatsoever, but the few times I used was around 4 years ago. They say 3 years is the cutoff. Is this true, or is it a trap?
Date: March 20th, 2010 9:13 PM Author: Vigorous point cumskin
Yea i play my fair share of MW2.
If you used a couple of times four years ago you'll probably do just fine in the background check portion. Cutoffs are three years of non-usage and can't have done it more than 15 times in your life
Date: March 21st, 2010 4:22 AM Author: charismatic slate box office
do you know how strict they are on that 15 times limit? i've smoked around 10-20 times and really cannot even say for certain if i've done it more than 15 times.
Date: March 20th, 2010 9:16 PM Author: Flatulent station
Before I went to college, I traveled across the US as kind of a homeless d00d. Then I came back for college. I was about 17-19. How will that affect my chances?
Also, I have a UG degree in statistics + poli sci with a high GPA. I am about 5'6 to 5'8; short for a male and am a little fat around the tummy.
Date: March 20th, 2010 9:19 PM Author: Vigorous point cumskin
I can't see how being nomadic for a year or so would hurt your chances much.
The statistics/poly-sci degree probably wouldn't qualify for a critical skill so you'd need something else. Work experience in one of the critical skill areas or another degree/training.
Shortness and a little fat won't hurt ya. many of the people at my fit test had that build. the fit test is all about preparation. one guy i knew was 5'8 and kinda chubby and he got over 20 on his fit test. dude did over 50 situps and ran in 1.5 mile in under 10 minutes. crazy...
i majored in accounting, so i was fortunate to be able to meet two critical skills (accounting + law).
Date: March 20th, 2010 9:25 PM Author: Vigorous point cumskin
if you wouldn't mind giving up your Canadian citizenship you might have a shot. your background check would probably take years... i hear they take much longer for people who have spent lots of time outside the US
Date: March 20th, 2010 9:44 PM Author: Trip police squad
I received notification of a Phase I date. My degree is in poli sci from a lower Ivy and the only WE I have is 3 years active duty military (deployed to Afghan). Any chance of getting to Phase II and beyond? I'm wondering because I realized I don't qualify for one of the critical skills that was mentioned.
Date: March 21st, 2010 1:56 AM Author: Aphrodisiac Canary Church Building Kitty Cat
I noticed Mandarin Chinese listed under the critical languages that the FBI is seeking. What exactly do people with this skill do as a career track? I can see Arabic folks doing Counter-terrorism, so are the Chinese-fluent agents basically hunting Chinese spies?
Date: March 21st, 2010 4:21 PM Author: Vigorous point cumskin
There's probably a good amount of people in the US who are native Chinese, so I guess the FBI would need people to be able to interview/investigate them... Wouldn't have to be spy-related necessarily. Could be any number of crimes committed by people who speak Mandarin (fraud, for example).
Date: March 21st, 2010 4:16 PM Author: Vigorous point cumskin
mostly it seems that they are concerned about whether you are honest with them-- just disclose the stupid shit. i was completely honest and it didn't seem to hurt me at all.
no traffic violations probably won't be a factor in the background check. HYS probably gives you a bump in landing the phase II interview.
Date: March 22nd, 2010 12:07 AM Author: orchid nursing home regret
Do they really just ask something during the polygraph like "What unethical things have you done?" That seems to be prohibitively difficult to remember and accurately list.
Date: March 23rd, 2010 12:24 PM Author: sienna dog poop
Just applied to the FBI a few days ago. Faxed in my transcripts. Looking to graduate from law school in May, top 5% of my class in lower Tier 1 school.
I'm a bit old for a law student, though--32. Hope this doesn't hurt me too bad. Background in government contracting. Hope this doesn't show a "lack of interest" in law enforcement, since I am, in fact very, interested.
Also concerned about physical requirements, assuming I get that far. I am in good shape, but to score really well in those requirements, you have to be in great shape. Right now, I run a 12:30 1.5 mile and am at about 25 push-ups and 35 sit-ups. Goal is 50 each and an 11 minute run.
Any idea how competitive an applicant with a law degree is compared to say a linguist, accountant or engineer? And is no military or law enforcement experience a big negative?
Date: March 23rd, 2010 3:06 PM Author: Vigorous point cumskin
congrats on your law school success. your age won't play much of a factor as 32 is only two years over the average age. good luck as the process is very long and will consume a lot of your time.
the hardest thing about the fitness test is doing each routine back-to-back with only a five minute break in-between each. your form on the sit-ups and push-ups will have to be perfect or you'll lose reps. if you're score a 16+ at home, you'll probably score under 12 when the fbi agents are counting the reps. shoulders not hitting the ground on the sit-ups? tough. minus one rep. arms not locking at the top of your push-up? minus one. still tired after the sprint? too bad for you, run the 1.5 mile.
it takes a lot of work over an extended amount of time to prepare for the fitness test. and it can be really difficult to stay motivated as the whole application process takes a year+.
last year law was one of the critical skills that the fbi wanted, over some other critical skills. not sure if that has continued this year. they get lots of LE and military applicants so it's probably easier to stand out with another critical skill
Date: March 23rd, 2010 3:29 PM Author: Vigorous point cumskin
the events, in order from first to last are sit-ups for one minute, 300m sprint, push-ups then 1.5 mile.
starting with my phase I acceptance, I practiced the events in order every single day, giving myself the 5 minute break between each. my significant other timed me, watched my form, counted my reps and held my feet for the situps.
other applicants will try various different workouts, like the navy seal workout, etc (you can look up some other people's strategies on the 911jobsforums.com site).
after a few months of doing the fitness test on my own every day I bumped up my routine to: situps for 1 minute 30 seconds, 400m, pushups, 2mile run. that way on the real test i found i had extra energy to push myself all the way through. for some reason at the real test a lot of people have less energy, maybe due to stress, lack of sleep the night before, etc
edit: you'll want to score 16+ at the fittest. 12-15 points is a passing score, but with that amount of points you'd have to retake the fit test prior to quantico. they want to make sure applicants don't slack off and get out of shape during background check portion. if you get 16+ they assume you're in good enough shape and don't need the extra fit test prior to quantico