not to take the piss but...

[Ken Gargett]

this really isn't designed to take the piss out of our brethren from across the very big pond (that is why god gave us kiwis) nor is it in any way intended to belittle the obviously good work that many of these people do, but every single time i see an american crime tv show or movie and the character says, 'i am special agent whatever', i get the giggles. now i know that there are more cultural and attitudinal differences between us than many realise (if any aussie politician had come out in an election, saluted his audience and said, as i believe john kerry did, 'i am xxxxx and i'm reporting for duty', no aussie would have ever taken them seriously again - we would have assumed he was taking the piss out of himself for a comedy spoof on tv) but who came up with 'special agent'. do you have 'ok agents' and 'reasonably good agents', 'out of favour this week agents' or even 'extraordinary agents'. 'hi, i'm from the fbi and my name is best and fairest agent smith'.

in real life, do they actually introduce themselves that way? when i lived over there, i really wanted to meet one and see if they could say it with a straight face. better still, do we have any special agents in the forum? can you shed light?

[skid11]

:-D ROFLMAO Agent :-D

These are also the agents that always find huge amounts of blood and semen at every location and keep the "everyready" battery shares high as the flashlight is always on, even during the daylight hours.

Well spotted Ken

[anacostiakat]

LOL. Here is something by way of an explanation:

The use of the term "Special Agent" for US Federal Law Enforcement Officers, as opposed to a federal police officer, derives from the fact that all such individuals have limited jurisdiction. They may only enforce certain sections of the US Code, or be limited to a certain geographic area, or both. There is no such thing as a "General Agent" that is empowered to enforce all laws, everywhere in the United States. This is in contrast to individual states, which can and most often do have General Agents, though they are not usually referred to as such. A state police or highway patrol organization typically has the authority to enforce all state laws everywhere within the geographic confines of that state.

Exactly which 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 US Code, such as the FBI and DEA in respect to drug laws) does not make the issue more clear. The most likely candidates would be Special Agents with either ICE, NCIS, AFOSI, or USACIDC.

ICE Special Agents are not limited to operating at or near ports of entry, but instead can operate anywhere in the US and even enforce US law and international treaties overseas. ICE agents not only have the power to enforce all federal laws, but also applicable state & local laws. NCIS, AFOSI, and USACIDC agents not only investigate and enforce most of the laws within the US Code; they do the same with the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), a jurisdiction held by neither ICE nor the FBI.

[cigardawg]

» LOL. Here is something by way of an explanation:

»

» The use of the term "Special Agent" for US Federal Law Enforcement

» Officers, as opposed to a federal police officer, derives from the fact

» that all such individuals have limited jurisdiction. They may only enforce

» certain sections of the US Code, or be limited to a certain geographic

» area, or both. There is no such thing as a "General Agent" that is

» empowered to enforce all laws, everywhere in the United States. This is in

» contrast to individual states, which can and most often do have General

» Agents, though they are not usually referred to as such. A state police or

» highway patrol organization typically has the authority to enforce all

» state laws everywhere within the geographic confines of that state.

»

» Exactly which 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 US Code, such as the

» FBI and DEA in respect to drug laws) does not make the issue more clear.

» The most likely candidates would be Special Agents with either ICE, NCIS,

» AFOSI, or USACIDC.

»

» ICE Special Agents are not limited to operating at or near ports of entry,

» but instead can operate anywhere in the US and even enforce US law and

» international treaties overseas. ICE agents not only have the power to

» enforce all federal laws, but also applicable state & local laws. NCIS,

» AFOSI, and USACIDC agents not only investigate and enforce most of the

» laws within the US Code; they do the same with the Uniform Code of

» Military Justice (UCMJ), a jurisdiction held by neither ICE nor the FBI.

Great explanation! Question...where do Federal Marshalls fit into the scheme? They seem to have very broad jurisdiction and are not limited in the laws (well, I guess they only enforce federal laws) that they have pervue over.

[Ken Gargett]

many thanks for the response. you have about as many layers of law enforcement as we do layers of government.

[waldo]

Don't put too much stock in those "cop" shows. They package them up for the brain dead Oprah crowd, and of course for you "furnirs" so you can get the wrong impression.:-P

BTW, we call them "Speshul":-D

[n2advnture]

» Don't put too much stock in those "cop" shows. They package them up for the

» brain dead Oprah crowd, and of course for you "furnirs" so you can get the

» wrong impression.:-P

»

»

» BTW, we call them "Speshul":-D

Mark Neff

Proprietor, Married, 1 Dog, No children and a gold fish

[NJLimoDriver]

Having been interviewed by CID, Secret Service and FBI agents over the years (no I am not a crook) I can tell they do introduce themselves that way. Anacostiakat's explanation is very good. As far as Fedral Marshall's go they have very limited duties and arrest powers unless you are a fugitive or in Witness Protection :-) Cheers Mike