For the past year and a half since taking over as agent-in-charge of the FBI in the Pacific region, Steven Merrill has made an effort to raise the profile of the agency. A recent recruiting campaign, “Mana Wahine,” drew about a hundred women interested in a career with the FBI.
Merrill is also warning of a nationwide surge in romance scams that prey on the elderly. Last week the FBI highlighted a case where a senior lost $1 million. There is also a disturbing trend of sextortion cases involving young boys in online gaming.
The FBI is preparing to launch another round of recruiting events to attract people, not just as agents but as support staff as well. Merrill spoke to The Conversation about this latest recruiting effort.
This interview aired on The Conversation on Jan. 31, 2023. Listen back to Part 1 of this interview with Merrill from Jan. 30. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.
