FBI to Develop Field Office in Nashville

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced that Nashville will soon be the new home of the agency’s main field office in Tennessee.

The FBI’s current main field offices in Tennessee are located in Memphis and Knoxville, both of which will be converted into resident agencies as Nashville’s field office is operational.

FBI field offices are primarily located in major cities while its resident agencies are typically located in smaller towns and cities.

Field offices are responsible for investigations, assessing crime threats, and working with partners on cases while resident agencies are part of field offices and help provide broader regional coverage.

Nearly every field office is overseen by a special agent in charge while resident agencies are managed by supervisory special agents.

With Nashville as the FBI’s future field office location, the federal agency will have a presence in the Volunteer State with one main office and nine resident agencies.

The FBI’s announcement of its reorganized operation in Tennessee came as the agency’s director, Christopher Wray, visited the Memphis and Knoxville Field Offices and the Nashville Resident Agency last week.

“I’m excited about what the new Nashville Field Office means for the Bureau and for the people of Tennessee,” Wray said in a statement.

“The FBI will maintain a strong presence in both Memphis and Knoxville, as well as our existing locations throughout Tennessee, and centralizing in Nashville will put the right people in the right places to best meet the needs of our workforce and the communities we serve,” Wray added.

During his time in Tennessee, Wray met with employees of the agency’s offices as well as “a number of key law enforcement partners across the state, to discuss the Bureau’s work in Tennessee and affirm our continued commitment to working with our partners,” the FBI said in a press release.

“Keeping our communities safe is the most fundamental duty of all law enforcement, and it’s something the FBI cannot do alone,” Wray said. “I’m grateful for the strong, collaborative partnerships we have across the state of Tennessee, and I look forward to continuing to find innovative ways to support each other and the community.”

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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Photo “FBI and Nashville Law Enforcement” by FBI.