The city of Anchorage is the largest metropolitan area in the state. The history of the city dates back to well before Alaska was a part of the United States of America. Back then, it was an unincorporated area populated by a large Russian population, travelers and entrepreneurs from Asia and America and the Native population that had called the area home for centuries before.
The free spirit and wilderness of the region makes it a unique place to work for employees of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI.) Because Alaska is so isolated it tends to attract people that want to get away for one reason or another, and one of those reasons may include getting away from law enforcement in the continental United States.
The History of the FBI in Anchorage
The FBI has had a presence in Anchorage since the agency was first established in 1908. Initially, the main field office was located in the city of Juneau, but eventually relocated to Anchorage. Up until World War II, the FBI operations of the entire state were left to the responsibility of three FBI agents.
After World War II, Alaska became a key component of national safety because of its vicinity to Russia and China, as well as its wealth of oil and other natural resources. Anchorage was mainly chosen as the desired location of the FBI Division office because of the fact that more than 40% of the state’s total population lives within the Anchorage metropolitan area.
Territory and Jurisdiction
Not only does the Anchorage FBI field office supervise activities in the most populous area in the state, it is also responsible for taking on the most land of any office in the country. The total area covered by the Anchorage FBI field office is 663, 268 miles. Along with the Anchorage office, there are two satellite offices- also known as resident agencies- located in Juneau and Fairbanks, which are the second and third largest cities in the state respectively.
FBI Jobs in Anchorage
Since Alaska is so isolated from the rest of the FBI locations in the country, they are often called upon to perform as an independent entity within the agency. Occasionally, there will be a high-profile crime that requires FBI agents from out of the state to assist in investigations, but that rarely occurs.
For the most part, FBI jobs in Alaska require agents to perform multiple tasks and perform a more diversified set of duties when compared to FBI agents in more populous areas of the country.
Evidence Response Team: The Anchorage team consists of eight members. These members are responsible for isolating and securing crime scenes and then collecting evidence.
Specialized Weapons and Tactics (SWAT): The eight member SWAT team is responsible for handling high-risk, dangerous situations that involve hostages, armed criminals and other situations.
Translation: Since Alaska has such a diverse population in terms of language speakers, a team of translators are needed to interpret documents and information obtained in interviews and other methods.