The Joint Terrorism Task Forces, under the auspices of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, are the United States’ first line of defense and front lines in the War on Terror. These highly-trained cells of passionate, dedicated and driven individuals are comprised of the top people in their fields: linguists, analysts, SWAT officers, tactical experts, investigators, criminal profilers and agents from a range of intelligence and law enforcement agencies.
For those looking to undertake a career in counterterrorism, there is no better path to pursue than a career in the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Forces.
What the Joint Terrorism Task Forces Do
Joint Terrorism Task Forces engage in every facet of anti-terrorism activities. They follow leads, explore evidence, track down suspects, provide education and training, analyze, gather and share intelligence, respond to high-threat situations, and even provide security when needed. There are about 4,000 enforcement professionals who are members of JTTFs across the nation, with the first one established all the way back in 1980 in New York City.
Coordinating across Agencies
When it comes to terrorist activities, these cells are a one-stop shop for terrorism information, enabling a base of shared intelligence that unites various agencies in counterterrorist activities. They facilitate inter-agency communication and help to coordinate before crisis situations. They also help to pool their knowledge, talents and skills across many intelligence and law enforcement communities to form a cohesive team specialized in stopping threats to U.S. security.
Notable Successes
Joint Terrorism Task Forces have been instrumental in bringing down countless terrorist cells. While for the most part if they’re doing their job right, you won’t hear about them at all, they have notably put to rest the infamous Northern Virginia jihad, the Lackawanna Six and the Portland Seven, as well as stopping an attack at Fort Dix in New Jersey, on New York’s JFK International Airport, and a range of other targets across the nation.
JTTFs have played a major role in stopping people from using fake IDs, tracking down terrorist funding sources, responding to threats of anthrax and other biological agents, and captured suspected terrorist operatives carrying explosives and weapons. In all likelihood, any time you hear about a foiled terrorist operation or a counterterrorism investigation, there is a JTTF at the center of it all.
Where Do JTTFs Work?
JTTFs are based in over 104 cities around the nation. There is at least one in every FBI Field Office, and they are coordinated out of the main FBI Headquarters, coordinated through the Washington, DC, National Joint Terrorism Task Force. Since 2001, there have been 71 new JTTFs created around the nation.
If working to stop the threat of terrorism sounds like a rewarding career for you, you might want to think about becoming a special agent in the FBI and working towards a career on Joint Terrorism Task Forces. Check out what it takes to become one of these agents, zero in on a career that matches your focus, and start on a thrilling job protecting the safety of other American Citizens today.