Hometown Helpers: FBI agent protects and serves community – East Idaho News

Each week, EastIdahoNews.com is introducing you to Hometown Helpers in our group. We need to highlight a firefighter, police officer, metropolis employee, snowplow driver and others who quietly maintain our cities and counties operating.

POCATELLO – This week, we’re that includes particular agent Kristin Almeda. She’s the one feminine FBI agent in Pocatello.

“I by no means would have thought in one million years that that is the place I’d have ended up,” she tells EastIdahoNews.com.

Almeda has been with the FBI for nearly 11 years.

“I work completely in nationwide safety. So we do all the pieces within the nationwide safety facet from nationwide safety cyber intrusions to counter-terrorism and preventing extremism and counterintelligence which is catching spies and stopping overseas threats to US know-how,” Almeda mentioned.

Almeda defined she was a mathematician previous to becoming a member of the FBI. She liked working with numbers however needed to do one thing extra. That’s when she made the leap.

“It isn’t straightforward to get into the FBI. It took me about 18 months to get in after which after that, you undergo about 5 or so months of coaching in Quantico, Virginia at our coaching facility. It positively takes some time to get in,” Almeda defined. “There’s quite a lot of background checks and quite a lot of completely different aptitude checks and bodily checks.”

She mentioned one of many misconceptions that folks have is you could’t get into the FBI however it shouldn’t stop you if you wish to strive.

“I by no means would have thought as a child that I’d have ever gotten into this job and I feel that deters good individuals from making an attempt. If you’re athletic and good at what you do, no matter it’s, the FBI has a spot for you,” she mentioned.

She evokes, exhibiting that tough work and dedication repay. She has liked her job ever since. Each day is completely different.

“Some days, we’re going by means of trash, and a few days we’re going by means of proof and a few days we’re doing search warrants. Most of my time is spent doing interviews and speaking to individuals. I spend quite a lot of time with completely different corporations making an attempt to assist them shield their info and their individuals,” Almeda mentioned.

Plenty of the day-to-day stuff is much like what you see in films and TV reveals. Almeda says a lot of the investigative course of occurs sitting at a desk or writing on a whiteboard to attempt to hyperlink individuals and locations collectively. The final word objective is to show that anyone dedicated against the law.

And, as with all occupation, it’s all an amazing balancing act. When she’s not on the job, her private life revolves round her husband and two small children.

“Defending my household is essential to us however we’re very a lot a part of this group and when you find yourself an agent, you progress. Each single time you progress, you choose up and your loved ones goes with you,” she mentioned.

Regardless of that, Almeda says it’s rewarding to have the ability to work on a staff and journey all around the world.

“I nonetheless love what I do day-after-day. It’s laborious work and you actually should be dedicated to the mission and to defending this nation,” she mentioned.

Almeda reveals day-after-day that she’s a Hometown Helper by serving her group and nation.

Recognizing her achievements is especially well timed as a result of this 12 months marks the fiftieth anniversary of feminine brokers within the FBI.

“Feminine brokers are about 20% of our agent drive. The FBI very a lot believes that range is the easiest way to do what we do,” Almeda added.

If you’re excited by making use of to the FBI, there are numerous job alternatives that fluctuate from IT careers, sufferer specialists, intelligence analysts and extra. Click on right here to study extra a couple of profession with the FBI.

If a Hometown Helper that we should always characteristic, e mail andrea.olson@eastidahonews.com.