The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

Podcast Transcript

In 1908, the United States did something unprecedented in its history: It created a general-purpose investigative police branch for the Department of Justice.

The federal government had l enforcement organizations before, but they had very narrow missions.

From its humble beginnings, the FBI radically changed over the next several decades and became one of the most powerful federal agencies.

Learn more about the Federal Bureau of Investigation, how it was established, and how it has evolved on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

To understand why the Federal Bureau of Investigation was created, we need to go back to the country’s founding to understand why such an agency never existed for the first 130 years of the country’s history.

The United States did not have a national police force before the FBI because of historical, cultural, and constitutional factors that shaped the nation’s approach to governance and law enforcement.

The U.S. Constitution establishes a federal system of government, with powers divided between the federal government and individual states. States are responsible for law enforcement within their boundaries, reflecting the principle of state sovereignty.

The 10th Amendment reserves powers not delegated to the federal government for the states, making law enforcement traditionally a state and local responsibility.

The Founding Fathers were deeply influenced by their experiences under British rule. The oppressive use of centralized forces like the British Army and loyalist militias made Americans wary of creating a strong, centralized law enforcement agency.

Early Americans feared that a national police force could be used as a tool of tyranny or to suppress dissent.

Also, crime in early America was largely localized, with issues such as theft, violence, and disputes handled by local sheriffs, constables, or town watchmen.

There was little need for a centralized agency because most crimes did not cross state lines.

That being said, there were some limited federal law enforcement agencies.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, established in 1775, is one of the oldest federal law enforcement agencies in the United States, and it is tasked with protecting the integrity and security of the postal system. It investigates a wide range of crimes involving the misuse of the mail, including mail fraud, identity theft, narcotics trafficking, and financial scams.

Another early American federal law enforcement agency is the U.S. Marshals Service. Established in 1789, it serves as the enforcement arm of the federal courts. The service’s primary duties include apprehending fugitives, managing and transporting federal prisoners, protecting federal witnesses, and securing federal court proceedings. The Marshals also play a critical role in executing federal arrest warrants, managing seized assets from criminal enterprises, and providing assistance during national emergencies.

The Secret Service, established in 1865, is the enforcement agency for the Treasury Department. It was initially focused on combating counterfeiting and later added presidential protection. The Secret Service will be the topic of a future episode.

The point is that until the 20th century, law enforcement was primarily the jurisdiction of state and local governments, and what federal law enforcement there was was very limited.

In the early 20th Century, the United States faced increasing challenges from crimes that crossed state lines, such as antitrust violations, land fraud, and other forms of corruption and organized crime, which local and state law enforcement agencies were ill-equipped to handle.

The push for a dedicated federal investigative body was driven by the Progressive Era’s emphasis on government reform and efficiency, and the limitations of relying on private detectives for federal investigations.

President Theodore Roosevelt and Attorney General Charles Bonaparte spearheaded the effort to create an investigative agency, envisioning a professional, centralized agency to ensure impartial and effective enforcement of federal laws.

On July 26, 1908, the Bureau of Investigation, or BOI, was established.

At first, the BOI primarily investigated antitrust cases, land fraud, and violations of federal laws, including those related to banking and natural resources. Its mission was greater than other federal law enforcement agencies, but it was still rather limited to what it would become.

However, more expansive and ambiguous laws resulted in an expansion in the mission of the BOI.

One such law was the 1910 Mann Act, a law aimed at combating human trafficking and the exploitation of women. It prohibits the interstate or international transportation of individuals for the purpose of prostitution, debauchery, or any other immoral purpose.

The next big increase in the bureau’s mission was the Palmer Raids.

The Palmer Raids were a series of controversial law enforcement actions conducted in 1919 and 1920 during the First Red Scare aimed at suppressing radical leftist organizations, including anarchists and communists. Led by Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer, one of the major forces behind the raids was a young 25-year-old Justice Department official named J. Edgar Hoover.

The Palmer Raids will also be the subject of a future episode.

In 1924, at the age of just 29, J. Edgar Hoover was appointed the head of the Bureau of Investigation.

It is impossible to tell the story of the FBI without J. Edgar Hoover, because for 48 years, under eight presidents, Hoover was the head of the FBI.

J. Edgar Hoover transformed the FBI during his long tenure as its director into a powerful, professional, and highly influential law enforcement agency.

Hoover introduced rigorous hiring standards, requiring agents to have a legal or accounting background, which elevated the agency’s professional reputation.

He established a comprehensive training program for agents, including creating the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia.

The FBI adopted advanced forensic techniques, including creating the FBI Laboratory in 1932, which became a global leader in scientific crime detection.

Hoover centralized operations, implementing strict hierarchical controls and standardizing investigative procedures.

He developed the Uniform Crime Reporting program, which provided nationwide crime statistics to help law enforcement agencies coordinate efforts.

Hoover was a master of public relations, using the media to build the FBI’s image as a fearless, incorruptible force. High-profile cases, such as the pursuit of gangsters like John Dillinger, were publicized to enhance the Bureau’s prestige.

The term G-man was popularized during this period. Supposedly, the name came from the 1933 arrest of George “Machine Gun” Kelly, who supposedly shouted upon his capture, “Don’t shoot, G-men! Don’t shoot!”

The FBI’s “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” list, introduced in 1950, further cemented its public profile.

The Bureau of Investigation was renamed the Federal Bureau of Investigation on July 1, 1935. The name change reflected the agency’s expanded responsibilities and national scope.

Under Hoover, the FBI’s jurisdiction expanded to include organized crime, counterintelligence, civil rights violations, and domestic surveillance.

He secured legislation that gave the FBI new tools to investigate interstate and federal crimes, such as the Lindbergh Law, which addressed kidnapping across state lines, and later the use of the RICO Act against organized crime.

While Hoover professionalized the FBI, he also did many things to expand his own power base so as to keep his position as director.

His Counterintelligence Program, known as COINTELPRO, targeted suspected communist groups, civil rights activists, and political dissidents, often using controversial and covert tactics that violated civil liberties.

Hoover used his counterintelligence operations to keep extensive secret files on politicians, public figures, and private citizens, using them to maintain power and influence.

During World War II, the FBI played a pivotal role in ensuring domestic security, countering espionage, and addressing threats to the United States’ war effort. Its activities were central to protecting the nation against internal and external enemies.

Their biggest case during the war was exposing and neutralizing the Duquesne Spy Ring.

It was the largest espionage case in U.S. history, involving 33 German agents who operated within the United States during the early years of World War II. Led by Frederick “Fritz” Duquesne, the ring gathered intelligence on U.S. defense capabilities, military secrets, and ship movements to aid Nazi Germany.

The FBI infiltrated the ring using a double agent, William Sebold, who provided crucial evidence by recording meetings and transmitting false information to the Germans. After extensive surveillance, the FBI arrested all 33 members in 1941.

Likewise, the FBI investigated and thwarted plots like Operation Pastorius, a German plan to sabotage U.S. industrial facilities, which was foiled in 1942.

The FBI also surveilled individuals and groups suspected of disloyalty, including isolationists, fascist sympathizers, and members of the German-American Bund.

After the war, many of these surveillance efforts were shifted to fighting the Cold War. The FBI investigated and dismantled spy networks, such as those involving Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, who were convicted of passing atomic secrets to the Soviets.

The FBI’s efforts were also pivotal in identifying Soviet spies like Aldrich Ames and Robert Hanssen. However, the Cold War also exposed weaknesses, including its failure to uncover some high-level moles in a timely manner.

In the 1960s, the FBI investigated hate crimes, bombings, and murders targeting civil rights activists in the South. High-profile cases included the Freedom Summer Murders and investigations into the Ku Klux Klan.

However, at the exact same time, they were also conducting surveillance on civil rights leaders such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The Bureau viewed the civil rights movement as a potential source of subversion and sought to monitor and undermine its leaders. Dr. King was wiretapped, his personal life was scrutinized, and attempts were made to discredit him through leaked information to the media and political allies.

In one infamous act, the FBI sent an anonymous letter urging Dr. King to abandon his leadership role, accompanied by threats of public exposure.

With the death of Hoover in 1972. The bureau was able to break free of the cult of personality that had controlled the agency for almost half a century. The change ushered in a series of reforms.

Congressional hearings, such as the Church Committee in 1975, revealed FBI abuses, prompting new guidelines to restrict domestic surveillance.

This resulted in a shift in the organization to combat organized crime, white-collar crime, and terrorism, as well as less counterintelligence and surveillance. Efforts included pursuing the Mafia under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO).

The FBI also launched several resources that law enforcement agencies around the country and the world can use.

The FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit was established in the 1970s to study criminal behavior and develop techniques for profiling offenders. Originally focused on understanding the minds of serial killers and other violent criminals, the unit conducted groundbreaking research by interviewing convicted offenders to identify patterns and motivations behind their crimes.

The National Fingerprint Database, also known as the Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System, or IAFIS, was launched in 1999 by the FBI to provide a centralized repository of fingerprint records. It revolutionized law enforcement by allowing agencies nationwide to compare fingerprints from crime scenes against millions of records quickly, significantly accelerating the identification of suspects.

In 2014, IAFIS was replaced by the Next Generation Identification system, which added advanced biometric capabilities, including facial recognition and palm print matching.

The national DNA database, officially called the Combined DNA Index System or CODIS, was created in the 1990s to assist in solving crimes through the comparison of DNA evidence. Operated by the FBI, CODIS allows local, state, and federal agencies to share and compare DNA profiles from convicted offenders, unsolved crimes, and cases of missing persons.

The FBI underwent a fundamental shift after the September 11 terrorist attacks. It prioritized counterterrorism and national security, creating the National Security Branch and collaborating with intelligence agencies.

Post-9/11 legislation expanded the FBI’s authority to monitor and prevent terrorist activities, raising debates about civil liberties, which mirrored the same concerns raised when Hoover was director.

The FBI has also taken a leading role in combating cybercrime and intellectual property theft, establishing dedicated cyber task forces.

Since 1908, the FBI has evolved into a leading national security and law enforcement agency. Its history includes significant achievements in combating organized crime, espionage, and terrorism, as well as major controversies surrounding surveillance and civil liberties.

Today, as a world-class law enforcement agency they’ve gone beyond their own mission to serves as a resource for other law enforcement agencies around the world.