CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS TRAINING PROGRAM (CITP)
(CT:DS-444; 06-05-2025)
(Office of Origin: DS/FASTC/TPM)
12 FAM 1171 AUTHORITY
(CT:DS-444; 06-05-2025)
(State Only)
(Applies to Foreign Service and Civil Service Employees)
22 U.S.C. 4823 provides the authority for the Secretary to prescribe the qualifications required for the assignment or appointment to special agent positions within the Diplomatic Security Service (DS/DSS).
12 FAM 1172 TRAINING REQUIREMENTS
(CT:DS-444; 06-05-2025)
(State Only)
(Applies to Foreign Service and Civil Service Employees)
All new DSS special agent candidates, those seeking reappointment to DSS, and Department employees returning to a DSS position with the FS-2501 or GS-1811 skill code performing special agent duties (hereafter referred to as "applicants") are required to satisfactorily complete the Criminal Investigations Training Program (CITP) at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) or basic training for special agents at the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) or Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) training academies. Upon successful completion of the CITP or basic training for special agents program, all applicants must satisfactorily complete all modules of the Basic Special Agent Course (BSAC) to be sworn in as DSS special agents.
12 FAM 1173 ATTENDANCE EXCEPTIONS
(CT:DS-444; 06-05-2025)
(State Only)
(Applies to Foreign Service and Civil Service Employees)
a. Any applicant who satisfactorily completed the CITP or basic training for special agents at the FBI or DEA training academies may request an exception from the requirement to retake the CITP. The request must be in writing to the Assistant Director for Training (DS/T) and include documentation supporting the exception:
(1) The applicant worked outside the Department but continuously served in a GS-1811 position at another federal law enforcement agency or agencies, without a break in federal law enforcement service, and previously completed the CITP or basic training for special agents at the FBI or DEA training academies satisfactorily; or
(2) The applicant received an offer or made a request to return to DS within ten years of successfully completing the CITP or basic training for special agents at the FBI or DEA training academies.
b. Any returning applicant (candidate for reappointment or Department employee seeking to return to the FS-2501 or GS-1811 skill code as a special agent in DSS) seeking an exception to the requirement to retake the BSAC program must submit the request in writing to the Assistant Director for Training and include documentation supporting the exception:
(1) The returning applicant spent no more than five years in a position with a different skill code than FS-2501 or GS-1811 within the Department, and previously completed the BSAC program; or
(2) The returning applicant worked outside the Department but continuously in a GS-1811 position at another federal law enforcement agency or agencies, without a break in federal law enforcement service, and previously completed the BSAC program.
c. DS/T will inform the applicant of the decision regarding the training exception request(s). The decision of the Assistant Director for Training is final.
d. Applicants whose exception request is approved and who spent more than twelve months outside of the Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DS) will be required to successfully complete all annual agent training requirements, including but not limited to firearms, use-of-force, and the most recent mid-career legal review course prior to arrival at their first assignment as an agent.
12 FAM 1174 THROUGH 1179 UNASSIGNED