FBI Miami Citizens Academy Overview
The Federal Bureau of Investigation recognizes the importance of forging strong alliances with local communities and maintaining collaborative relationships with community leaders. To accomplish this directive, the FBI developed and implemented the FBI Citizens Academy program. Delivered throughout the country, this intensive, interactive eight-week program was specifically designed to educate civilians about the roles and responsibilities of the FBI agency, and how the communities play a key role in the agency’s successful operation. In an intimate classroom setting, students cover a curriculum that includes counter terrorism, white-collar crimes, organized crime, cyber crimes, and civil rights, which are taught by Special Agents in Charge (SACs), Assistant Special Agents in Charge (ASACs), and Senior Special Agents (SSA). Participants also partake in a live fire day at the firing range for instruction on firearms and safety. Upon graduation, students participate in a 2-day field trip to Washington, DC where they tour FBI Headquarters, the FBI Academy at Quantico, and CSI Lab.
FBI Miami Citizens Academy History
In the fall of 2004, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Miami Division offered the first FBI Citizens Academy program. Select community leaders and advocates participated in this innovative outreach initiative, where they were educated about the mission, objectives, and services of the FBI Agency. Through this community partnership, FBI-Miami endeavored to foster a working and collaborative relationship between its field office and the communities they serve. Over the course of ten weeks, close relationships were formed, common civic aspirations were discovered, and a desire to establish a community-based foundation was born. In 2005, the inaugural graduates worked in unison to establish the FBI Citizens Academy Alumni Association-SF (FBI C.A.A.A.-SF), a nonprofit organization committed to supporting community-need initiatives, sponsoring programs that promote civic education and public safety, and providing resources and opportunities that enhance and enrich youth development.