Since the creation of its drug awareness program in 1988, the FBI has expanded its community outreach efforts to include discussions and public presentations on crime, gangs, and violence awareness and prevention.  Each of the FBI's 56 field offices has one or more specialists who actively participate in community outreach events, often serving on boards, councils, or working with other organizations to create new outreach initiatives.

         We believe that if law enforcement is to truly contribute to our Nation's fight against crime, drugs, gangs, and violence, then we must continue to create and nurture partnerships with the communities and the public we are sworn to serve.

         The Louisville FBI's community-based efforts center on partnerships with local groups; on speaking before community gatherings, grade school and high school at-risk children; rotary clubs; local colleges and universities; and on working within existing community networks.  Annually, the Louisville office also recognizes a private person, persons, or organization for outstanding efforts in the pursuit of a drug and crime-free America through a public presentation of the Director's Community Leadership Award.

         Individual FBI employees also play their part in community outreach through volunteer reading at public schools; coaching of young, at-risk athletes; and through the Habitat for Humanity Program.  Quarterly, current and former FBI employees spend a Saturday helping construct homes for those in need in western Louisville.

         The FBI's Adopt-A-School program was designed to develop, through tutoring and instruction, the academic and social skills of at-risk and socioeconomically disadvantaged students.

         Since 1996, the Louisville field office has annually adopted a neighborhood sixth grade class for instruction by agent and support employees on conflict resolution, drug abuse and violence prevention, and physical fitness.  While developing prevention skills and building self esteem, these "Junior Special Agents" are also exposed to FBI field office operations.  Ultimately, they graduate to become "official" Junior Special Agents through a ceremony sponsored by the office and attended by teachers, families and friends.

          Many of the employees in the Louisville Office volunteer their time and talents to perform various community services.  Just a few of the organizations that have directly benefited from our employees are:  The Kentucky Baptist Home, Kentucky Special Olympics, The Salvation Army, The Home of the Innocents, and the Boy Scouts of America.

          In 1985 the FBI established the Honors Internship Program.   The program encourages selected college scholars to perform summer internships at one of several locations, such as FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C., at selected major field offices, or at the FBI Academy located on the United States Marine Corps Base at Quantico, Virginia.  The Louisville Field Office is normally allotted one slot per year.  This was an exceptional year for the Louisville office when three of our applicants were selected for the program.

          Each year FBI Louisville receives numerous requests to participate in community organizations and special events, and does its best to meet those requests.