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The FBI is often seen as mysterious
and impenetrable. For some Americans, its reputation is tarnished
because of how the agency exploited its power in the days of
J. Edgar Hoover. In the WNED-TV documentary, "Investigating
the New FBI," we explore these perceptions and look at how our
country's top law enforcement agency operates today.
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 Jack
Anthony and Ellen Grant Bishop were two participants who agreed
to be spotlighted during the course. They share their reactions
to some of the more compelling parts of the program and later
tell us whether the Citizens' Academy changed their image of the
FBI.For six weeks, WNED brought two cameras to the Citizens' Academy classes, videotaping the lessons and the interaction between the agents and the participants. We watched as the citizens "played agents" in a video game that taught them when to shoot in critical situations. We then followed the group to a firing range, where they learned how to handle real FBI guns from a pistol to an assault weapon. (The producers even shot a few rounds themselves!) The day included a demonstration of the FBI's top-notch SWAT team. |
 The
last part of the course was a field trip to the FBI Academy in
Quantico, Virginia, the training ground of FBI agents. We got
a glimpse into the making of an actual FBI agent, including areas
not normally open to the general public. We also observed the
students learning how to safely make an arrest in a real-life
situation. After ten weeks of shooting and reviewing more than 80 hours of videotapes, we chose the video and interviews we would use to allow the FBI agents and the Academy participants to tell the story in their own words. Once the script was put together, we assembled all the graphics, historical documents and photographs that would complete the program. In early January, we began two months of editing to finish the one-hour documentary. "Investigating the New FBI" takes a close look at an important, yet controversial organization and the men and women dedicated to its mission. |
"Investigating
the New FBI" is a two-year effort by WNED. We focused our cameras
on the FBI's Citizens' Academy program, which invites members
of the community to get an inside look at the
FBI. In a six-week course, FBI agents teach a group of citizens
about their various roles in crime-fighting and offer instruction
in everything from finger-printing to firearms. Producers Christopher
Thomas and Wendy Diina Ceppaglia bring this educational opportunity
to our entire viewing public.
They
began the project by interviewing Bernard Tolbert, Special Agent
in Charge of the FBI's Buffalo Division. He explains how the
bureau investigates crime and protects our country in the
twenty-first century. Special Counsel Paul Moskal describes the
policies of the bureau and the important role Buffalo played in
FBI history. Other agents share their personal experiences
investigating some of Western New York's most high profile and
tragic cases.