Society of Former Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation
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| Founded | 1937 |
|---|---|
| Type | Service |
| Location | |
| Origins | New York City, New York, U.S. |
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Area served
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Worldwide |
| Method | Community service |
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Members
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8,500 |
| Slogan | "Loyalty, Friendship, Goodwill" |
| Website | http://www.socxfbi.org |
The Society of Former Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (SFSAFBI) is the official world-wide benevolent service organization for former Special Agents of the FBI. In 1972, the Society was called "Mr. Hoover's Loyal Legion" by The Nation.
The Society of Former Special Agents was founded in 1937, and its membership, restricted to former Special Agents of the FBI, has grown to almost eight thousand men and women who previously served as Special Agents of the FBI. Located in Dumfries, Virginia, it has 129 nationwide chapters. Through the Former Agents of the FBI Foundation, created by the Society to further its charitable work, it has established several law enforcement awards, including the "Louis E. Peters Memorial Award," which is jointly awarded by it and the FBI, and is the highest public service award recognized by the FBI.
National media often turn to the Society to provide commentary on current issues affecting the FBI and its agents. When Clint Eastwood was researching his movie on the life of J. Edgar Hoover, he, Hoover, and star Leonardo DiCaprio sought help and advice from the agency and from the Society. When it was discovered that the movie intended to depict a scene in which Hoover is seen kissing his Deputy Director and longtime friend Clyde Tolson, the newspaper USA Today noted that the Society of Former Special Agents objected to the controversial and imaginary scene and had "reassessed its tacit approval of the film." In an article discussing the controversy over the movie, the Washington Post cited the anger of the Society of Former Special Agents. Praising J. Edgar Hoover in the newspaper article, the Society President stated: "Devotion is probably a good word for my generation and up."
When U.S. Senate Republicans criticized the FBI and its interrogators over the questioning of a terrorist bomber, claiming that "Larry King would have a more thorough interrogation," the national political journal Politico turned to a Society spokesperson who stated that "agents find this kind of behavior to be detestable."
In 2012, when the FBI was celebrating the 40th anniversary of the first hiring of female Special Agents, the federal agency cited the work of the Society in preserving the story of these pioneering women. The FBI acknowledged the opportunity given by the Society of Former Special Agents for official remembrances of two female Special Agents killed in the line of duty, Robin Ahrens and Martha Martinez.
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Wikipedia