Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI Crime News (b)
s such, the Indian Country Onboarding Program develops agents to operate with more autonomy and survivability and a more comprehensive investigative technique.
During the course, agents learn and reinforce previous training on a variety of subjects, including conducting homicide interviews, finding witnesses, defensive tactics, and remote medical care. They also learn about the cultural differences between them and the Native Americans living on this land and how to communicate better with and assist the communities in seeking justice.
For FBI Phoenix, this is hopefully the first of more programs to come. They expressed gratitude for the learning experience they gained as hosts and plan to solicit feedback on how to improve future trainings. The program is “designed to be scalable and flexible so that we can meet the needs of our agents,” said Akil Davis, head of FBI Phoenix.
One agent who completed the training said that “working in Indian Country is the closest an FBI agent can get to being a police detective.” For him, it was a great way to hone many of his skills, including executing search warrants, learning the internal systems and procedures, conducting arrests, and more.
He appreciates how the Indian Country program helps him become a more independently capable agent and that he gets more work and experience working in Indian Country than he might in other parts of the FBI: “There is more work, it’s faster paced, and you become better at technique and better at relating to individuals you might not have a lot in common with.”