Welcome to episode 41 of FBI Retired Case File Review with Jerry Williams.

I'm a retired agent writing crime fiction inspired by actual FBI cases. In this very special episode, Special

Agents Greg Branch and Bill Tolin are interviewed about the qualifications and requirements

needed to become a special agent with the FBI.

Greg joined the FBI in 1995 and has been assigned to squad handily reactive matters such

as drugs and bank robberies and to White handling reactive recruiting efforts and is the applicant coordinator responsible for managing the special agent hiring program in the Philadelphia Division.

Bill Tolin is a recent graduate of the FBI Academy and he is also based in the Philadelphia

division where he is on a cyber squad. Both Greg and Bill provide a thorough and

personal review of the FBI Special Agent Hiring Program and what it's like to train at

the FBI Academy.

I want to give a special shout out to SAC Special Agent in Charge, Michael Harpster of the Philadelphia Division for allowing

me to interview Greg and Bill.

Thanks Mike.

This is an episode that I really, really wanted to do. Not only because I had

listeners asking for it, I'm talking to you, Sean, Ben, and Jay, but also because I spent three years of my FBI career as the

applicant coordinator encouraging and recruiting others to join the FBI. Another

reason is because when I join the FBI. Another reason is because when I joined the FBI, I was one of only 24 black females in the

Bureau.

And right now, the numbers have increased a little but black female still only make up 1% of the special agent workforce.

And so I want to do my part in encouraging everyone to join the FBI, but especially women and minorities.

And the FBI is currently having a major recruitment push to make that happen. The New York Times

recently had an article where are women in the FBI's top ranks that went

...