A Review of FBI Security Programs

Unit for new applicants, the Personnel Security Unit for employee five-year reinvestigations,
and the Industrial Security Unit for non-FBI personnel -- BICS scopes leads and assigns
work to SIs, along with work orders setting out the investigation and the time it will take. 19
SIs are instructed not to deviate from the work order. They must inform Case Managers of
derogatory information they develop and seek approval for additional interviews in response
to that information.
Although most SIs are former criminal investigators, many have limited experience
in background investigations. Since they are contractors, they receive no formal training, but
are given an investigative procedures manual and a four-hour orientation.
In conducting investigations, SIs must use the FBI reporting format and a procedure
known as CARLABFAD, an investigative approach introduced during J. Edgar Hoover’s
tenure as Director, covering nine topics: the subject’s Character, Associates, Responsibility,
Loyalty, Ability, Bias and prejudice, Financial responsibility, Alcohol use, and Drug use.
SIs, who are former FBI agents, sometimes simply ask interviewees, who are current agents,
whether subjects of investigations are CARLABFAD.
When SIs complete their investigations, they usually dictate reports to one of four
typing centers around the country. BICS Case Managers review SI reports for completeness
and may request that missed coverage be completed. They have no adjudicative
responsibilities; they only see a small part of the investigative process, and they rarely deal
directly with adjudicators, who can request expanded coverage.
For the most part, BICS background investigations and reinvestigations meet the
standards set down in Executive Orders and Director of Central Intelligence Directives and
in some respects surpass them. Problems exist, however. Hanssen’s 1996 reinvestigation
highlights a number of deficiencies in BICS investigations and the Bureau’s adjudication
19 Staffing Assistants in the field office where the case originates also scope local record
investigations, such as police and court checks. BICS Personnel Security Specialists review this
coverage for thoroughness and contact the field, if coverage is insufficient.
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