Foreign language proficiency is measured by the description of the federal Interagency Language Roundtable proficiency level or the level of the IRL scale. The IRL scale measures foreign language proficiency in listening, reading, speaking and writing on a scale of zero to five, with five being the highest score. For example, a person with Level 2 language skills would have sufficient skills to meet common social requirements and limited job requirements. A person with a level 4 speaking ability, on the other hand, would be able to use the language fluently and accurately at all levels normally relevant to professional needs. According to the FBI`s Legal Attaché`s Manual, the foreign language requirements for an inheritance and ALT are level 2+ or higher. Although there is no level of competence for support staff, the manual states that they must have foreign language qualifications relevant to the office to which they are applying. In contrast, the FBI`s Administrative Operations and Procedures Manual, Part 1, Section 22-2.5.1 states that the foreign language objectives for legates and ACTAs in speech, listening, and reading are levels 3, 3, and 2, respectively. For office assistants, the goals are level 2 for speaking and listening and level 1 for reading. However, according to a language manager, Legat employees are currently only tested for their oral skills. A list of FBI legal investigation offices across Europe. Our Legal Attaché program is administered by the International Operations Division at FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C. The FBI agent who heads an international office is also known as a legal attaché or legate. They serve as the FBI Director`s personal representative in the country where they have regional responsibilities.

Our 63 law attaché offices – commonly referred to as inheritances – and 15 smaller sub-offices are located in major cities around the world, covering more than 180 countries, territories and islands. About 250 special agents and support staff are stationed in FBI legacies around the world. Through the Legal Attaché program and other efforts, the International Operations Division serves as a bridge to our foreign partners and a channel to strengthen the global rule of law. It works regularly through elements of international law enforcement agencies such as Interpol and Europol, as well as numerous working groups, working groups and training initiatives. We interviewed some Legate employees in the four offices we reviewed about the training they had received in preparation for deployment. An office assistant told us that the State Department`s training on automated systems used in an embassy environment was too superficial. In general, however, officers and support have been positive about the training. These views contrasted with what had been communicated to the FBI Inspection Division by a focus group of former and current legate employees, as reported in its July 2003 report. The inspection report indicated that focus group participants were disappointed with most of the briefings they had received from the operational services of FBI headquarters.

These briefings, which were intended to address criminality and investigative issues in the countries and territories to which officers were to be assigned, were described as short, generic and superficial. Some focus group participants added that briefings were often conducted by individuals with little knowledge of those countries and that, as a result, the information was of little use once they arrived at their operations offices. Also during the first week of training, legates and ALATS receive individual briefings from key units at FBI headquarters on programs and investigations that may affect their geographic responsibilities. For example, they may receive briefings from the Counter-Terrorism Division if terrorism issues are prevalent in their region. While these briefings are held for officers, office assistants receive detailed briefings on administrative matters, such as the field support account, asset inventory records and pouch preparation techniques. In addition, if support staff are not sufficiently familiar with the ACS system, arrangements will be made for additional training on the use of the system. Legal Attachés are experienced and highly qualified investigators who work directly and openly with their international colleagues. They do not conduct foreign intelligence services or counterintelligence investigations. Most right-wing attachés are supported by a deputy or deputy legal attaché and other staff. The activities of FBI employees assigned to the offices of the Legal Attaché vary to some extent depending on the country or region in which the office is located and the nature of the criminal threats against the United States. In general, however, the primary task of legal attachés is to establish, maintain and improve links with foreign law enforcement agencies. Right-wing attachés serve as a link between FBI headquarters and field offices that require investigative assistance or information from foreign countries and law enforcement officials in those countries.

At the same time, foreign law enforcement agencies forward their requests for investigative assistance in the United States to the FBI`s national offices through the offices of the legal attaché. By cooperating with foreign law enforcement agencies, the offices of the legal attaché seek to create networks that prevent crime or, alternatively, provide access to the information the FBI needs to locate and extradite international criminals and terrorists and obtain evidence of their prosecution. Most right-wing attachés have liaison tasks for several countries, so they often spend a significant portion of their time traveling. In its 5-year strategic plan, released in May 1998, the FBI identified three functional areas or levels that describe the variety of threats it faces to achieve the goal of improving national and individual security. The first level includes foreign intelligence, terrorist and criminal activities that directly threaten the national or economic security of the United States. The second stage includes crimes that compromise public safety or undermine the integrity of American society. The third stage includes crimes involving individuals and crimes against property. The Legal Attaché`s investigative efforts span all of these levels, but just like the FBI as a whole since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, their top priority is to prevent terrorist attacks against the United States and its interests.

As a result, most of the legate`s workload is focused on counter-terrorism activities. Nations Covered: Israel, Palestinian Authority The mission of the FBI`s Legal Attaché program is to establish and maintain links with major law enforcement and intelligence/security services in certain countries. This link allows the FBI to effectively and quickly discharge its international responsibilities in the areas of organized crime, international terrorism, foreign counterintelligence, and general criminal matters. The Office of the Legal Attaché responds to operational needs in Lagos, Nigeria, with regional coverage in Benin, Cameroon, Ghana, Equatorial Guinea, Sao Tome and Principe and Togo. Liaison activities by legal attachés are critical to the success of the FBI`s international responsibilities and U.S. interests. The link is established in accordance with the executive order, the law, the directives of the Attorney General and the directives of the FBI. Nations covered: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia The persons selected for the positions of Legate Attaché and ALT are the personal representatives of FBI Directors abroad. The special agents selected for these positions are highly visible and carry considerable responsibility that, if not properly managed, could lead to an international incident and potentially damage the FBI`s credibility. In addition, legatees and their employees must quickly get used to living and working in a foreign culture, which can be very different from the conditions they are used to in the United States. In addition, in some countries, working and living conditions can be very stressful and their personal safety can be threatened. Therefore, the FBI needs not only highly skilled and experienced agents, but also agents who can work independently and effectively in often stressful foreign environments.

Pre-Deployment Training – The FBI offers a 3-week pre-deployment training program for agents and support staff selected for assignment to the Legal Attaché`s offices. The first week of training is designed to provide newly appointed legatee staff with administrative information, policies and procedures related to working in a legatee`s office and living in a diplomatic mission abroad. Topics covered during this first week include human resources and housing issues, expatriation allowances and vouchers, inheritance of computer equipment and applications, State Department invoices and payments, security, extraterritorial guidelines for whistleblowers, language services and programs, evidence screening, employee behaviour and the roles and responsibilities of the Department of Justice`s Office of International Affairs, the FBI Inspection Division, the Office of Professional Responsibility, and the Department of Health Services.