Police/FBI

[meat pickle99]

can anyone explain or point me to an explanation of jurisdictional politics? local police vs. state? when does something get considered 'federal'?

more specifically, if there was a murder/disappearence in a very small town under what circumstances would/could the case be passed up to feds? would they even get involved. do local police have forensic labs?

any help appreciated.

[Fortean]

The FBI may get involved in a local disappearance or murder if a federal law has been broken, (for examples: hate crimes, civil rights violations, racketeering, corporate frauds, terrorism, and kidnappings). Larger cities may have their own forensics laboratories, but small communities may depend upon county or state laboratories. Fingerprint records will go thru the FBI; and, if the local labs cannot figure something out, they'll probably get in touch with the FBI's premier laboratory.

See: www.fbi.gov/hq/lab/org/labchart.htm (http://www.fbi.gov/hq/lab/org/labchart.htm)

[meat pickle99]

thank you fortean

[BeefMissile]

Use www.copsnwriters.com www.fbi.gov www.firstgov.gov www.theadvicesquad.com www.lawenforcementjobs.com(they have good message boards). Also read the non-fiction book; The Bureau.

[7oak]

If you have very specific questions about the FBI, one of my friends spent 12 years on the force. I'd be glad to pick her brain for stuff you just can't do without...

[meat pickle99]

thanks missle and 7oak