When J. Edgar Hoover took over the Bureau in 1924, he inherited two female agents: Jessie B. Duckstein and Alaska P. Davidson, who both resigned within a few months as part of the Bureau’s reduction of force. In 1972, JoAnne Misko and Susan Malone were the first two women to enter the FBI Academy. In 1978, Special Agent Christine Karpoch (Jung) would become the first female firearms instructor—and she would shoot the coveted “possible,” a perfect score on the FBI’s Practical Pistol Range. In 1990, Special Agents Susan Sprengel and Helen Bachor were sent to London and Montevideo, Uruguay to serve as the FBI’s first female assistant legal attachés. In 2001, Special Agent Kathleen McChesney became the first woman to attain the rank of executive assistant director. Up until 1972 the FBI did not accept applications from women to become special agents. More than 2,600 women special agents currently serve and lead in all roles in the FBI. The FBI originated from a force of special agents created in 1908 by Attorney General Charles Bonaparte during the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt. Martha Dixon Martinez was the first female agent in the field office to be certified as a SWAT team member. In the four decades since women have served as FBI agents, they’ve taken on one of the most difficult—yet vitally important—roles in the Bureau: going undercover. It was in 1972—40 years ago this year—that women were allowed to join the ranks of FBI agents, reversing a policy that had been in place since the 1920s. The first major expansion in Bureau jurisdiction came in June 1910 when the Mann ("White Slave") Act was passed, making it a crime to transport women over state lines for immoral purpose. William J. Flynn, former head of the Secret Service, became Director of the Bureau of Investigation in July 1919 and was the first to use that title. From 2010 to 2012, the FBI disciplined 1,045 employees for a variety of violations, according to the
When J. Edgar Hoover took over the Bureau in 1924, he inherited two female agents: Jessie B. Duckstein and Alaska P. Davidson, who both resigned within a few months as part of the Bureau’s reduction of force. In 1972, JoAnne Misko and Susan Malone were the first two women to enter the FBI Academy. In 1978, Special Agent Christine Karpoch (Jung) would become the first female firearms instructor—and she would shoot the coveted “possible,” a perfect score on the FBI’s Practical Pistol Range. In 1990, Special Agents Susan Sprengel and Helen Bachor were sent to London and Montevideo, Uruguay to serve as the FBI’s first female assistant legal attachés. In 2001, Special Agent Kathleen McChesney became the first woman to attain the rank of executive assistant director. Up until 1972 the FBI did not accept applications from women to become special agents. More than 2,600 women special agents currently serve and lead in all roles in the FBI. The FBI originated from a force of special agents created in 1908 by Attorney General Charles Bonaparte during the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt. Martha Dixon Martinez was the first female agent in the field office to be certified as a SWAT team member. In the four decades since women have served as FBI agents, they’ve taken on one of the most difficult—yet vitally important—roles in the Bureau: going undercover. It was in 1972—40 years ago this year—that women were allowed to join the ranks of FBI agents, reversing a policy that had been in place since the 1920s. The first major expansion in Bureau jurisdiction came in June 1910 when the Mann ("White Slave") Act was passed, making it a crime to transport women over state lines for immoral purpose. William J. Flynn, former head of the Secret Service, became Director of the Bureau of Investigation in July 1919 and was the first to use that title. From 2010 to 2012, the FBI disciplined 1,045 employees for a variety of violations, according to the