--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The FBI is a field-based law enforcement…" description: "\"The FBI is a field-based law enforcement organization, and the vast majority of our investigations should continue to be worked by our field offices.\" ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b01/christopher-a-wray-6268_fbi_the-fbi-is-a-field-based-law-enforcement_401899.jpg" --- # The FBI is a field-based law enforcement organization, and… ![“The FBI is a field-based law enforcement organization, and the vast majority of our investigations should continue to be worked by our field offices.” quote by Christopher A. Wray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b01/christopher-a-wray-6268_fbi_the-fbi-is-a-field-based-law-enforcement_401899.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b01/christopher-a-wray-6268_fbi_the-fbi-is-a-field-based-law-enforcement_401899.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b01/christopher-a-wray-6268_fbi_the-fbi-is-a-field-based-law-enforcement_401899.jpg) > “The FBI is a field-based law enforcement organization, and the vast majority of our investigations should continue to be worked by our field offices.” [Christopher A. Wray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-a-wray/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Field offices should handle most investigations, emphasizing decentralized, on‑ground work. **In simple terms:** Field offices lead investigations. Key Takeaway Empower local teams for effective law enforcement. Themes law enforcement decentralization field work Mood strategic operational Type policy administrative When to use this quote - crime scene response - community policing - interagency coordination - resource allocation Key Concepts jurisdictional authority operational efficiency Questions to Reflect On - How can field offices coordinate with headquarters? - What resources improve field effectiveness? A Different Perspective Centralized resources may be needed for complex cases. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Law enforcement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law-enforcement/) [Organization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organization/) ## Related quotes > [Few people may realize that the Department of Homeland Security is the nation's largest law enforcement organization, with about one-third of our 240,000 employees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-wolf/few-people-may-realize-that-the-department-of-homeland-security-is/) [Chad Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-wolf/) > [The FBI is unique in that it straddles both law enforcement and counterintelligence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-r-clapper/the-fbi-is-unique-in-that-it-straddles-both-law-enforcement-and/) [James R. Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-r-clapper/) > [Before 9/11 there were weak procedures, willingness, and mechanisms for communicating among agencies for foreign intelligence and the FBI with its focus on law…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-c-blair/before-9-11-there-were-weak-procedures-willingness-and-mechanisms-for/) [Dennis C. Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-c-blair/) > [ This killer \[in Orlando\] was interviewed by the FBI three times and I'm not going to second guess what career law enforcement professionals do… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/this-killer-in-orlando-was-interviewed-by-the-fbi-three-times-and-i-m/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [The president has a duty and a right to oversee the FBI, and you know, he properly delegate the law enforcement to the FBI…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ingraham/the-president-has-a-duty-and-a-right-to-oversee-the-fbi-and-you-know/) [Laura Ingraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ingraham/) > [But we had - I think if you look at law enforcement 10 years ago, if you look at the challenges, the FBI was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/but-we-had-i-think-if-you-look-at-law-enforcement-10-years-ago-if-you/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) > [Isn't it a little strange the FBI director has a private conversation with the president. Instead of saying to the president, Mr. President, you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-ruddy/isn-t-it-a-little-strange-the-fbi-director-has-a-private-conversation/) [Christopher Ruddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-ruddy/) > [The FBI assesses HVEs are the greatest terrorism threat to the homeland.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-a-wray/the-fbi-assesses-hves-are-the-greatest-terrorism-threat-to-the/) [Christopher A. Wray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-a-wray/) > [Our folks at the FBI are working their tails off every day to stop and find criminals, terrorists, and nation-state adversaries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-a-wray/our-folks-at-the-fbi-are-working-their-tails-off-every-day-to-stop/) [Christopher A. Wray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-a-wray/) > [A line of duty death, whether an officer, special agent, or professional staff employee, is personal to the FBI, and it's personal to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-a-wray/a-line-of-duty-death-whether-an-officer-special-agent-or-professional/) [Christopher A. Wray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-a-wray/) > [Cybersecurity is a central part of the FBI's mission. It's one part of the broader safety net we try to provide the American people:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-a-wray/cybersecurity-is-a-central-part-of-the-fbi-s-mission-it-s-one-part-of/) [Christopher A. Wray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-a-wray/) > [We, the FBI, don't investigate ideology, no matter how repugnant. When it turns to violence, we're all over it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-a-wray/we-the-fbi-don-t-investigate-ideology-no-matter-how-repugnant-when-it/) [Christopher A. Wray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-a-wray/) > [The FBI holds sacred the rights of individuals to peacefully exercise their First Amendment freedoms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-a-wray/the-fbi-holds-sacred-the-rights-of-individuals-to-peacefully-exercise/) [Christopher A. Wray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-a-wray/) > [The inability to access evidence or intelligence despite the lawful authority to do so significantly impacts the FBI's ability to identify, investigate, prosecute, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-a-wray/the-inability-to-access-evidence-or-intelligence-despite-the-lawful/) [Christopher A. Wray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-a-wray/) > [As the Director of the FBI, I am committed to ensuring that the Bureau is being transparent and responsive to legitimate congressional requests.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-a-wray/as-the-director-of-the-fbi-i-am-committed-to-ensuring-that-the-bureau/) [Christopher A. Wray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-a-wray/) ## More by Christopher A. Wray > [Put plainly, China seems determined to steal its way up the economic ladder, at our expense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-a-wray/put-plainly-china-seems-determined-to-steal-its-way-up-the-economic/) [Christopher A. Wray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-a-wray/) > [What was once a comparatively minor threat - people hacking for fun or for bragging rights - has turned into full-blown economic espionage and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-a-wray/what-was-once-a-comparatively-minor-threat-people-hacking-for-fun-or/) [Christopher A. Wray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-a-wray/) > [At the end of the day, our work is what endures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-a-wray/at-the-end-of-the-day-our-work-is-what-endures/) [Christopher A. Wray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-a-wray/) > [In pursuit of their commercial ambitions, Huawei relied on dishonest business practices that contradict the economic principles that have allowed American companies and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-a-wray/in-pursuit-of-their-commercial-ambitions-huawei-relied-on-dishonest/) [Christopher A. Wray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-a-wray/) > [The FBI holds sacred the rights of individuals to peacefully exercise their First Amendment freedoms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-a-wray/the-fbi-holds-sacred-the-rights-of-individuals-to-peacefully-exercise/) [Christopher A. Wray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-a-wray/) > [Our work in investigating the Oklahoma City bombing reflected some of the very best the FBI has to offer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-a-wray/our-work-in-investigating-the-oklahoma-city-bombing-reflected-some-of/) [Christopher A. Wray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-a-wray/) > [We've created these Protected Voices videos to showcase the methods these adversaries might use, and to help campaigns practice good cyber hygiene, because the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-a-wray/we-ve-created-these-protected-voices-videos-to-showcase-the-methods/) [Christopher A. Wray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-a-wray/) > [It is the honor of a lifetime to serve as Director. I long ago grew to know and admire the FBI from my earliest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-a-wray/it-is-the-honor-of-a-lifetime-to-serve-as-director-i-long-ago-grew-to/) [Christopher A. Wray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-a-wray/) > [The cyber threat has evolved dramatically since I left DOJ in 2005, partly just reflecting how much the digital world has itself evolved over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-a-wray/the-cyber-threat-has-evolved-dramatically-since-i-left-doj-in-2005/) [Christopher A. Wray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-a-wray/) > [The FBI assesses HVEs are the greatest terrorism threat to the homeland.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-a-wray/the-fbi-assesses-hves-are-the-greatest-terrorism-threat-to-the/) [Christopher A. Wray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-a-wray/) > [As Americans, we should all be concerned by the potential for any company beholden to a foreign government - especially one that doesn't share…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-a-wray/as-americans-we-should-all-be-concerned-by-the-potential-for-any/) [Christopher A. Wray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-a-wray/) > [Our adversaries are trying to undermine our country on a persistent and regular basis, whether it's election season or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-a-wray/our-adversaries-are-trying-to-undermine-our-country-on-a-persistent/) [Christopher A. Wray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-a-wray/) > [FISA is one of the most important investigative tools we've got in preventing our adversaries from harming our country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-a-wray/fisa-is-one-of-the-most-important-investigative-tools-we-ve-got-in/) [Christopher A. Wray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-a-wray/) > [Understanding the Chinese counterintelligence threat better will help us respond to it more effectively. China is taking a multi-faceted approach, so we've got to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-a-wray/understanding-the-chinese-counterintelligence-threat-better-will-help/) [Christopher A. Wray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-a-wray/) > [We've got to make sure tech companies - all of them - aren't taking steps that will place content beyond the reach of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-a-wray/we-ve-got-to-make-sure-tech-companies-all-of-them-aren-t-taking-steps/) [Christopher A. Wray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-a-wray/) [Explore all 99 Christopher A. Wray quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-a-wray/) ## More Fbi quotes > [Martha Stewart showed up at Manhattan FBI Headquarters to have her finger prints taken and pose for a mug shot. Then Martha explained how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/martha-stewart-showed-up-at-manhattan-fbi-headquarters-to-have-her/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [I know firsthand from my experience working counterintelligence investigations for the FBI that kicking a diplomat out of the country is no small thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asha-rangappa/i-know-firsthand-from-my-experience-working-counterintelligence/) [Asha Rangappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asha-rangappa/) > [An FBI agent ought to be able to surf the net and look for sites that instruct people how to make bombs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ashcroft/an-fbi-agent-ought-to-be-able-to-surf-the-net-and-look-for-sites-that/) [John Ashcroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ashcroft/) > [It won't ruin our movement if someone gets killed in an animal rights action. It's going to happen sooner or later. The Animal Liberation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-vlasak/it-won-t-ruin-our-movement-if-someone-gets-killed-in-an-animal-rights/) [Jerry Vlasak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-vlasak/) > [On the one hand, you don't want to disrupt the nation with what might look like a vindictive prosecution, even though it might not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-giuliani/on-the-one-hand-you-don-t-want-to-disrupt-the-nation-with-what-might/) [Rudy Giuliani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-giuliani/) > [Asked at the hearing why she hadn't pressed the FBI more closely about what it knew, or didn't know, about domestic terrorist threats, Rice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-fineman/asked-at-the-hearing-why-she-hadn-t-pressed-the-fbi-more-closely/) [Howard Fineman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-fineman/) > [I didn't know the organization, but the one thing you can say about the FBI, it's tremendously professional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/i-didn-t-know-the-organization-but-the-one-thing-you-can-say-about/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) > [That job should not be a political job. We should not be hearing very publicly from the leader of the FBI.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-bondi/that-job-should-not-be-a-political-job-we-should-not-be-hearing-very/) [Pam Bondi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-bondi/) > [You know, back in the 1950s and '60s, when J. Edgar Hoover was making the FBI the respected organization it used to be, oftentimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howie-carr/you-know-back-in-the-1950s-and-60s-when-j-edgar-hoover-was-making-the/) [Howie Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howie-carr/) > [But we had - I think if you look at law enforcement 10 years ago, if you look at the challenges, the FBI was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mueller/but-we-had-i-think-if-you-look-at-law-enforcement-10-years-ago-if-you/) [Robert Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mueller/) > [The FBI has a very clear policy. They don't expose victims.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lankford/the-fbi-has-a-very-clear-policy-they-don-t-expose-victims/) [James Lankford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lankford/) > [Bob Mueller for the FBI, myself, met with a particular group of executives that have major roles in the so-called ISPs, the Internet service…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-napolitano/bob-mueller-for-the-fbi-myself-met-with-a-particular-group-of/) [Janet Napolitano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-napolitano/) > [Neither Mueller, the Obama FBI, DOJ, CIA, State Department, nor the Deep State ever had a good-faith basis to pursue President Trump on Russia…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-fitton/neither-mueller-the-obama-fbi-doj-cia-state-department-nor-the-deep/) [Tom Fitton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-fitton/) > [In other words, under Attorney General John Ashcroft, the FBI, the INS and the Department of Justice are so out of control that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/in-other-words-under-attorney-general-john-ashcroft-the-fbi-the-ins/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [I heard some good news today, the FBI and the CIA are going to start cooperating. They are going to start working together. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/i-heard-some-good-news-today-the-fbi-and-the-cia-are-going-to-start/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) Browse all 420 Fbi quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The FBI is a field-based law enforcement organization, and the vast majority of our investigations should continue to be worked by our field offices.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Christopher A. 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