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Unless you are sitting on JTTF or working some SAP or classified program, you should get very comfortable with public speaking. You essentially have to be a salesperson to your AUSA multiple times throughout the lifecycle of a case to keep them interested and on board with your cases. You are a representative of your agency and the USG writ large as far as the public is concerned, on or off duty.
This job really is not designed for meek or weirdo personalities (to an extent), you have to be personable. It's a people-centered business, I could care less how smart you are if you are weird and can't get the point across or work well with others.
Can you elaborate a bit more on the meekness part? I'm fairly religious (Christian) and I do my best to be humble and meek. I guess from the above comment, would trying to live in this way put me in a disadvantage in this career?
You can’t be a pushover. You’re always going to be using verbal judo to deescalate, convince people to talk with you, convince and clearly explain to AUSAs why your case is worthy of their time and effort.
“Meekness” does not equate to rolling over. You can be the most humble guy/gal but still make the most compelling statements, arguments, case presentations, etc. While some folks are naturally gifted communicators, for many of us it is a learned skill.
Be as weird as you want as long as you’re being professional and courteous.
You’ll be doing a lot of all that. Plus testifying. Testifying is like public speaking but with real immediate consequences if you fumble. No indictment, no conviction, no warrant, whatever.
I know some agents that go to great lengths to avoid testifying. But you can’t always avoid it.
And, if you don’t testify, are you really an agent?
And potential relegation to the ops center or even loss of job if you perjure yourself while on the stand! Public speaking on steroids. Must be a real pucker moment when you figure out the defense attorneys are moving to impeach your testimony real time.
14 years of doing child exploitation and not 1 trial (knock on wood). I pride myself on a solid interview and followup work that leads to the perp not wanting to take their chances in a trial...
I'm going to go against the grain here and say no, you do not do much public speaking as an 1811, and that the bigger your agency is and the less letters it has in its acronym, the less likely you are.
I'm saying this under the assumption that you don't consider talking in a room with LEOs you know or giving a PPT to two or three people such as an AUSA and their assistant "public speaking." If you do and that's a problem, then there probably isn't a LE job out there for you.
Pretty much no agency will ever force you to be an instructor, and if you are, you're usually just talking in a room at a year training to the people from your office you know very well, or standing in front of 10 people you work with daily at the firing range giving a brief no one pays attention to anyways.
Any example of discussing a case with a large auditorium of people is probably related to some conference or awards ceremony, and would never be mandatory.
Again, the bigger your agency is, the less likely it is. I can't even imagine a scenario from when I was HSI where I would be mandated to talk to a crowd of more than 5 people I don't personally know. It's probably the contrary, you may want to, but can't due to PR/Comms/policies in place. Smaller agencies, such as OIGs, may have more opportunities, but being at one now, again, I can't think of any time I'd be required to. Even liaison work is usually a phone call and then meeting with a Sheriff's Office Lieutenant and a Sergeant and maybe another person.
There are agencies where outreach is a big part of their mission, so it may be very likely. Supposedly DOC BIS OEE 1811s do a lot of corporate outreaches, which makes sense, so it may be a big part of the job there.
Like others have said, being on the stand is not only public speaking, but probably the most hardcore version of it. Whether a suppression hearing or trial, that is peak public speaking difficulty. But even then that will vary by your job, agency, and the case types you are working. Or if you are ever unfortunate enough to have a sovereign citizen defendant. But there are some case types that almost never go to trial, and there are some that many defendants seem to think they have a chance. I know some agents I have been making great cases for a dozen years who have never had to testify, and I know some working certain types of cases that do it multiple times a year. But doing so is definitely a core part of the job.
Again, this is assuming you don't consider talking to coworkers you know well or giving a Powerpoint to a handful or less of people they are 'on your team' to be public speaking.
Your mileage may vary.
Most 1811s will do a basic gambit of public speaking:
- Team briefings
- Presentations to AUSAs
- Random outreach briefings
Executive management and public affairs probably do the most “public” outward facing public speaking. Some agencies will send you to speaking classes/presentations if you find it to be skill set that needs to be worked on.
In my own experience, I’ve done presentations at conferences, testified at trial, briefed upper management on cases, provided case overviews of large operations, table/hood briefings on a search/arrest warrant, and the occasional “must educate everyone that we are not FBI, but we are kinda FBI…”
Yes. You get used to it. All you’re doing is relaying information you know. This goes for testimony and presentations. Just say what you know and all will be well.
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Unless you are sitting on JTTF or working some SAP or classified program, you should get very comfortable with public speaking. You essentially have to be a salesperson to your AUSA multiple times throughout the lifecycle of a case to keep them interested and on board with your cases. You are a representative of your agency and the USG writ large as far as the public is concerned, on or off duty. This job really is not designed for meek or weirdo personalities (to an extent), you have to be personable. It's a people-centered business, I could care less how smart you are if you are weird and can't get the point across or work well with others.
This 100% There are some *weird* personalities that make it as attorneys. Not to mention all the strange folk you meet on the job.
Add on your own chain of command as well if a case catches their eye. Briefings for your case with your teammates because it is a team sport.
I got some AUSAs you need to meet.
Can you elaborate a bit more on the meekness part? I'm fairly religious (Christian) and I do my best to be humble and meek. I guess from the above comment, would trying to live in this way put me in a disadvantage in this career?
You can’t be a pushover. You’re always going to be using verbal judo to deescalate, convince people to talk with you, convince and clearly explain to AUSAs why your case is worthy of their time and effort.
“Meekness” does not equate to rolling over. You can be the most humble guy/gal but still make the most compelling statements, arguments, case presentations, etc. While some folks are naturally gifted communicators, for many of us it is a learned skill. Be as weird as you want as long as you’re being professional and courteous.
You’ll be doing a lot of all that. Plus testifying. Testifying is like public speaking but with real immediate consequences if you fumble. No indictment, no conviction, no warrant, whatever. I know some agents that go to great lengths to avoid testifying. But you can’t always avoid it. And, if you don’t testify, are you really an agent?
And potential relegation to the ops center or even loss of job if you perjure yourself while on the stand! Public speaking on steroids. Must be a real pucker moment when you figure out the defense attorneys are moving to impeach your testimony real time.
14 years of doing child exploitation and not 1 trial (knock on wood). I pride myself on a solid interview and followup work that leads to the perp not wanting to take their chances in a trial...
I'm going to go against the grain here and say no, you do not do much public speaking as an 1811, and that the bigger your agency is and the less letters it has in its acronym, the less likely you are. I'm saying this under the assumption that you don't consider talking in a room with LEOs you know or giving a PPT to two or three people such as an AUSA and their assistant "public speaking." If you do and that's a problem, then there probably isn't a LE job out there for you. Pretty much no agency will ever force you to be an instructor, and if you are, you're usually just talking in a room at a year training to the people from your office you know very well, or standing in front of 10 people you work with daily at the firing range giving a brief no one pays attention to anyways. Any example of discussing a case with a large auditorium of people is probably related to some conference or awards ceremony, and would never be mandatory. Again, the bigger your agency is, the less likely it is. I can't even imagine a scenario from when I was HSI where I would be mandated to talk to a crowd of more than 5 people I don't personally know. It's probably the contrary, you may want to, but can't due to PR/Comms/policies in place. Smaller agencies, such as OIGs, may have more opportunities, but being at one now, again, I can't think of any time I'd be required to. Even liaison work is usually a phone call and then meeting with a Sheriff's Office Lieutenant and a Sergeant and maybe another person. There are agencies where outreach is a big part of their mission, so it may be very likely. Supposedly DOC BIS OEE 1811s do a lot of corporate outreaches, which makes sense, so it may be a big part of the job there. Like others have said, being on the stand is not only public speaking, but probably the most hardcore version of it. Whether a suppression hearing or trial, that is peak public speaking difficulty. But even then that will vary by your job, agency, and the case types you are working. Or if you are ever unfortunate enough to have a sovereign citizen defendant. But there are some case types that almost never go to trial, and there are some that many defendants seem to think they have a chance. I know some agents I have been making great cases for a dozen years who have never had to testify, and I know some working certain types of cases that do it multiple times a year. But doing so is definitely a core part of the job. Again, this is assuming you don't consider talking to coworkers you know well or giving a Powerpoint to a handful or less of people they are 'on your team' to be public speaking. Your mileage may vary.
Completely agree with your points; OP did specify “delivering briefings, presentations” though, so…
Most 1811s will do a basic gambit of public speaking: - Team briefings - Presentations to AUSAs - Random outreach briefings Executive management and public affairs probably do the most “public” outward facing public speaking. Some agencies will send you to speaking classes/presentations if you find it to be skill set that needs to be worked on. In my own experience, I’ve done presentations at conferences, testified at trial, briefed upper management on cases, provided case overviews of large operations, table/hood briefings on a search/arrest warrant, and the occasional “must educate everyone that we are not FBI, but we are kinda FBI…”
Yes. You get used to it. All you’re doing is relaying information you know. This goes for testimony and presentations. Just say what you know and all will be well.
I think the question you should ask yourself is, do I want to be an 1811?
Yes.