Houston


Houston, like each of the FBI’s local field offices, has a community outreach program that complements and strengthens our many efforts to protect you, your businesses, and your families in concrete ways through a range of activities and initiatives.

The Houston office is a strong contributor to community partnerships because, as a federal agency with national and international reach, we bring our own special resources, intelligence, and expertise to the table. For example:

Our investigations into terrorism, cyber crime, gangs, drug trafficking, civil rights violations, fugitives, and other crimes- often worked in tandem with local police, sheriffs, and other law enforcement partners- keep us on the leading edge of knowing the dangers that threaten your community.
Our partnerships with area companies and institutions protect locally against economic espionage and acts of terrorism.
Our assistance to crime victims in the Houston Division area of responsibility provides a lifeline to those who have been harmed by violence and crime.
Our research of crime statistics spotlights crime trends and incidents in your geographic location.
Our research and expertise in special areas helps defend against specific community issues like missing and exploited children, school shootings, and gang related violence.
In the end, it’s all about people to people contact!

Youth Outreach

Career Days

The FBI will make every effort to have an employee visit your school’s Career Day to discuss the many interesting career paths within our organization. Please send your invitation well in advance of the event to outreach.houston@ic.fbi.gov

Teen Academy

Teen acad photo
The Houston FBI office hosted its first ever Teen Academy in June, 2013. Teens representing various religious, ethnic, and community organizations spent a day learning about hate crimes, internet safety, human trafficking and other topics. If your organization would like to nominate an up-and-coming leader for a future Teen Academy, please contact the community outreach coordinator at the email address above.

“CSI Day”

CSI Day photo
As part of our special partnership with the Harris Foundation’s “Dare to Dream” program, the FBI Houston Evidence Response Team participates in a semi-annual “CSI Day” event with third through sixth grade students from 14 area elementary and middle schools. This effort began in 2010 and is meant to encourage a desire to study science, technology, engineering, and mathematics as a way to achieve success. Students participate in hands-on forensic science activities alongside FBI personnel.

FBI Houston Citizens Academy

citizens academy photo
One method to engage the community pioneered by the FBI and adopted by law enforcement agencies around the country is called the Citizens Academy. Held once a year in Houston, the Citizens Academy gives community leaders, business professionals, religious leaders and other citizens an inside look at the FBI and its operations. The program is eight weeks long, with mandatory attendance one night per week for three hours. Participants meet the men and women of the FBI, gain an appreciation for the job they do, and often become lifelong friends of the Bureau. They are also invited to attend a session at the FBI firearms range. The list of those who wish to attend Citizens Academy is long, and the selection process is highly competitive. If you are active in your community and wish to be considered for this program, please contact us at outreach.houston@ic.fbi.gov

After completing the Citizens Academy program, participants are encouraged to join the Citizens Academy Alumni Association. The alumni are active year-round in community projects, hosting speaker events and book signings, and supporting the FBI’s mission in the community by promoting internet safety and gang violence awareness.

Community Relations Executive Seminar Training (CREST)

Another opportunity for citizens to learn about the work of the FBI is the CREST program. CREST is a focused, one day session taught by subject matter experts on a specific topic or topics. The program can be tailored to fit the needs of your institution or organization, and can include topics such as cyber crime, economic espionage, gang violence, civil rights issues, public corruption, terrorism and others.

What makes CREST unique is that we come to you— you provide the facility and we provide the instructors. To request a CREST session for your organization, contact us at outreach.houston@ic.fbi.gov

Director’s Community Leadership Award

DCLA photo
Since 1990, the Director’s Community Leadership Award (DCLA) has been the principal means for the FBI to publicly recognize the achievements of individuals or organizations that make extraordinary contributions to education and/or prevention of crime and violence in their communities. Winners travel to Washington, D.C., to receive their award from the Director of the FBI.

Houston’s most recent recipient is the 100 Club of Houston, recognized for outstanding support to the families of law enforcement officers and firefighters killed in the line of duty. They also fund education and training of law enforcement officers throughout the area.

Past winners from the Houston area include Dr. Bernard Harris of the Harris Foundation, Katherine Cabaniss of Crime Stoppers of Houston, former Houston Mayor Bill White, and YMCA International Services of Houston.

Unique Programs Developed for the Houston Community

FBI Houston’s outreach staff works directly with dozens of ethnic, religious, community, and commercial organizations to create unique programs to meet specific needs within our division. Some examples include:

Bilingual programs for parents on topics such as internet safety for children or gang violence prevention. Two sessions are held simultaneously, one in English and one in Spanish.
Providing speakers on hate crimes and civil rights issues.
Economic espionage awareness training for Houston’s businesses to educate them on the importance of protecting their research and trade secrets from foreign competitors.
Providing child fingerprinting services at large events such as the Silk Road Festival and the Pakistani Independence Day celebration.
Educating seniors and their caregivers about the most prevalent frauds affecting our most vulnerable citizens.
If you would like to partner with the FBI to create a program for your community, please contact us at outreach.houston@ic.fbi.gov.

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