Interview with FBI - Tampa Spokesman Dave Couvertier

February 5, 2009


Criminalistics Class
Professor Hunnicutt
Marlene Hoenig, Student Report
February 5, 2009
When does the FBI get involved?

A phone interview with Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Tampa spokesman Dave Couvertier revealed the FBI is in a new era of investigation and enforcement. The threat of national security since 911 has increased and heightened the concern and welfare for our country. The FBI plays a major role in this. The FBI has over 400 classifications of investigations including but is not limited to white collar crimes, civil rights issues, gang related activities, cybercrime, kidnapping, and bank robberies.
The FBI is the largest and leading investigation agency in the United States, part of the Department of Justice, under the Attorney General’s Office. The FBI also houses the largest forensic laboratory in the world.
Dave Couvertier said their most recent and biggest case this year, which ranks second only to the Presidential inauguration, was the Super Bowl. They started work one week before the Super Bowl event; which includes constant 24 hour round the clock intelligence gathering, surveillance, information gathering, working together with over 20 government agencies, including Homeland Security. FBI, bomb squads, systems and crime analysts’, agents and office personnel all gather to insure the event is threat free, before during and one day after the event.
Couvertier said the FBI has a great working relationship with local law enforcement agencies throughout the state of Florida. There are three field offices in Florida, Jacksonville, covering the northern portion of the state, Tampa, covers Central Florida and Miami which handles the southern portion of the state. When asked when and how they get involved in local cases, Couvertier explained that whenever it is apparent a kidnapping has occurred either through physical or testimonial evidence, the FBI is called to the scene. If it is a case of a missing person there is a 24 hour waiting period unless it is a child of “tender years”, (usually under age 12). If this is the case, the waiting period is waived and they are on the job, working parallel with the local law enforcement agency.”If we get a call, the FBI is there. This is our job. Our agents take our work very seriously as do the other law enforcement agencies,” said Couvertier. “If we know from the start it’s a kidnapping, we will be immediately get involved in the case. We work together to get the best results possible, for any given situation,” says Couvertier.
Couvertier is the spokesman for the FBI in the recent kidnapping of the Lakeland pilot, Robert Arthur Wiles, reported a ransom note was found. This is an unusual case for the FBI because a ransom note was sent. According to statistics and the FBI spokesman, ransom notes are very rare in the United State. This fact makes the Lakeland case unusual as well as other clues in the note, which might reveal information not being released by the Bureau.
This is a “new era” for law enforcement, military and national security personnel. The job requirements, investigation techniques, required network of communication which is needed, weighs heavy upon the shoulders and the hearts of the FBI, and other law enforcement and security agencies, military and government leaders. We are living in a global society where safety, security and attention are always in a heightened state. Closing Couvertier said, “We must stay at attention at all times. Sometimes it difficult to sleep at night, hoping you didn’t miss something.”