The state of Colorado is one of the fastest growing areas in the entire United States. Because of the rising population (especially with Latino and Hispanic races,) jobs with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the region are in high demand.
The history of the main FBI headquarters in the state, which is located in Denver (the state’s most populous city,) begins with its establishment in 1910. During this time, the FBI’s main priority in Colorado was the apprehension of businesses using forced labor and the theft of shipments crossing state borders. During the 1930’s the headquarters closed and then re-opened four years later in 1935. For the most part, the Colorado FBI remained calm until the 1950’s when it became one of the first divisions to participate in the Ten Most Wanted List of national fugitives. During that decade, the Colorado FBI apprehended 4 of the Ten Most Wanted at that time.
Since 9/11, the Colorado FBI- along with most other states- have focused on anti-terrorism tasks, which included the case of Najibullah Zazi from Afghanistan but living in Aurora, CO. Zazi attempted to drive from Colorado to New York in order to set-off explosives in a New York City subway in 2010. The FBI apprehended him before he was able to fulfill his terrorist attack. Zazi was sentenced for conspiring to commit murder through terrorist activities.
FBI Jobs in Colorado
Even though anti-terrorist efforts are at the top of the list for the FBI in Colorado, and nationally, there are a variety of tasks, teams and priorities for the different agents in the state.
Evidence Recovery and Processing Team: These agents are responsible for surveying crime scenes and collecting evidence. The evidence includes physical evidence like blood, DNA and fingerprints, as well as technical evidence like bullet trajectory and blood splatter pattern identification, among many other things.
Hazardous Materials Team: The Colorado FBI division has an 8-member HAZMAT team. The team is responsible for the handling of hazardous materials, which can be biological, chemical or radiological in nature. This team was responsible for handling the explosive substances that were being used by Zazi in his subway bomb plot.
Office Locations in the State
The FBI presence in Colorado covers 87 counties in the state and in Wyoming, which it is also responsible for covering. As well as the headquarters in Denver, there are smaller field offices located in the towns and cities of Colorado Springs, Durango, Fort Collins, Glenwood Springs, Grand Junction and Pueblo in Colorado, and Casper, Cheyenne, Jackson Hole and Lander in Wyoming.
FBI Requirements in Colorado
The following are the basic job requirements for people seeking employment with the agency in Colorado and Wyoming. In order to become an agent, the person must:
- Be a citizen of the United States
- Be between the ages of 23 and 36 (special circumstances can be made)
- Be a graduate of an accredited four year school
- Have at least 2 years of professional experience
- Have a valid driver’s license
- Be willing to relocate to any area under the jurisdiction of the FBI
People offered a job with the FBI must also undergo special tasing and training sessions, which occur in multiple steps.