Agents working for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are charged with protecting the United States from international threats using counterterrorism and intelligence. They must also help to enforce federal laws in a jurisdiction and assist local law enforcement as necessary.
Although North Dakota is one of 15 states that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the FBI have designated as having no specific threats of terrorism, international or domestic, it still plays a large part in the overall operations of the FBI. Four satellite offices of the FBI’s Minneapolis Division are located in North Dakota. FBI jobs in North Dakota involve protecting its residents from domestic and foreign terror threats, as well as helping as needed in major criminal cases. Bank robberies have been the main crimes in which FBI agents in North Dakota have become involved in the past five years.
How to Become an FBI Special Agent in North Dakota: Training and Degree Requirements
North Dakota residents who wish to serve their country in a special way may want to consider how to become an FBI special agent in North Dakota. Only the most dedicated individuals should apply for this position, as it involves much overtime, long hours, dangerous situations, the willingness to serve wherever the FBI finds it necessary, and the need to carry a firearm at all times. If a North Dakotan wishes to become an FBI agent, he or she must:
- Be a United States citizen
- Be no younger than 23 and no older than 36 years
- Hold at minimum a bachelor’s degree
- Have at minimum two years of professional experience
- Willingness to go anywhere
The hiring process is a lengthy one, and can take from six months to one year to complete. Those who are chosen to become FBI agents in North Dakota must complete 20 weeks of New Agent Training in Quantico, VA. The starting salary for an FBI agent in North Dakota is equal to the GS 10 entry-level salary of $43,441 as of 2013, plus the North Dakota localized adjustment rate of 2.83%, which totals $44,670 per year.
FBI Field Offices and Jobs in North Dakota
North Dakota falls under the jurisdiction of the FBI’s Minneapolis Field Office. There are four FBI satellite offices in North Dakota. They are located in the following cities:
- Fargo: Responsible for cases occurring in the following North Dakota counties: Traill, Stutsman, Steele, Sargent, Richland, Ransom, McIntosh, Logan, LaMoure, Griggs, Foster, Dickey, Cass, Barnes; and Clay County in Minnesota
- Bismarck: Responsible for cases occurring in the following counties in North Dakota: Stark, Slope, Sioux, Oliver, Morton, Mercer, Kidder, Hettinger, Grant, Golden Valley, Emmons, Dunn, Burleigh, Bowman, Billings and Adams
- Minot: Responsible for crimes in the counties of Williams, Wells, Ward, Sheridan, Rolette, Renville, Pierce, Mountrail, McLean, McKenzie, McHenry, Divide, Burke and Bottineau
- Grand Forks: Responsible for crimes in the counties of Walsh, Towner, Ramsey, Pembina, Nelson, Grand Forks, Eddy, Cavalier and Benson