New Haven


New Haven, 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.

Our recent activities include:

In October, New Haven Citizens Academy Alumni Association Board Member Jack Caldwell delivered 200 FBI Child ID Kits to The Mercy Learning Center in Bridgeport, CT. Since 1987, the Mercy Learning Center has been providing basic literacy and life skills training to low-income women in the greater Bridgeport area.
Our most recent annual Director’s Community Leadership Award was presented to the International Institute of Connecticut, which is dedicated to helping foreign-born persons and immigrants achieve self-sufficiency and adapt to living in the United States.

Our key outreach programs include:

Citizens Academy

Our Citizens’ Academy offers business, civic, religious, and community leaders in Connecticut the opportunity to learn about the people, mission, activities, and resources of the FBI. It is conducted in the spring of each year, with classes held on eight consecutive Thursday evenings. The class size is limited to approximately 25 individuals. Participants are introduced to the structure and operation of the New Haven Division, including a description and discussion of the investigative techniques used in both criminal and intelligence matters.

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Citizens’ Academy Spring Session 2010

Candidates for the FBI Citizens’ Academy must:

Live or work within the New Haven Division’s territory;
Be at least 18 years of age;
Have no prior felony or serious misdemeanor convictions; and
Pass a limited background investigation.
New Haven Citizens’ Academy Alumni Association

The New Haven Citizens’ Academy Alumni Association consists of graduates from our academy classes and is a valuable asset to our outreach program. The association assists each new academy class and serves as an ambassador for the FBI through outreach efforts.

Multi-Cultural Advisory Council (MCAC)

The Multi-Cultural Advisory Council (MCAC) brings together leaders from different religious groups and ethnic and cultural backgrounds to discuss their cultures and beliefs with the FBI and to help us address various issues in our diverse community.

Speakers’ Bureau

Through our Speakers’ Bureau, special agents and professional support staff give presentations on a variety of topics pertaining to the FBI’s investigative mission. Please make requests for speakers in writing to our community outreach specialist at 600 State Street, New Haven, CT 06511, and please provide the following information:

Date, time, and location of the presentation;
Approximate duration of the presentation;
Specific topic(s) desired;
Type of audience (general public, professionals, students, etc.);
Size of audience; and
Point of contact information (name and telephone number).
Please note: requests for speakers must be received a minimum of 30 days prior to your presentation date. All requests are subject to speaker availability.

Youth Outreach Initiatives

Our Adopt-A-School program places volunteer agents and staff members inside classrooms to mentor and tutor “at risk” kids. We have partnered with the Mauro-Sheridan Science, Technology and Communications Magnet School in New Haven and will host a Youth Academy during 2010 for honor students at the school.

The FBI’s Safe Online Surfing (SOS) Internet Challenge is an online safety program designed to help students recognize potential dangers associated with the Internet, e-mail, chat rooms, and social networking sites. In 2010, our community outreach specialists have sent letters to more than 600 principals of Connecticut public schools with grades 5-8.

Among our other ongoing efforts:

Meeting with minority groups and civic organizations to talk about what the FBI can do with them and for them and hosting town hall meetings as needed to dialogue on key issues;
Sending our special agents and others from the FBI into schools, businesses, and civic meetings to explain emerging crime and security threats and to provide specific advice on how to prevent being victimized by these threats;
Serving on committees and boards for businesses, schools, community groups, and social and health services and launching drives to bring food, gifts, and toys to the less fortunate during the holidays and other times of the year;
Encouraging citizens to step forward to report crime and serve as witnesses in court; and
Partnering with the American Football Coaches Association and its National Child Identification Program to distribute Child ID kits at football games and other events.
Due to security requirements, the New Haven Division is unable to support tours of the office or job shadowing opportunities.

For more information concerning FBI New Haven’s outreach program, please contact one of our community outreach specialists:

Judie Driscoll
Phone: (203) 503-5164

Carla Spino
Phone: (203) 503-5104

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