The Mentalist: CBI?

[wamdue]

I like the show, but one thing I do have a problem with is the use of the phrase CBI.

first of all I assume the FBI didnt want to be associated with the methods shown in the program, so had the producers write them out.

however the CBI produces a few problem

last I checked (& im a Brit) the FBI was a way to investigate crime on the federal level, bypassing things like state borders.

So how would the FBI interact with the CBI? and are they not doing the same job.

obviously the CBI can not investigate crime out side out of California , and I assume the FBI can only investigate crime in California, so what is the point of having an FBI if it cant work in one of the USA's biggest and most populate states?

this is really annonying and distracting to me, whenever one of the characters, trys to use it in an authoritative manner I just laugh a little bit, the more authoritative the harder I laugh.

obviously I know we have things like the Texas Rangers, who help out the small sheriff departments, when they have major crimes, they are not equipped to deal with.

or is there actually a real CBI? and im only now hearing about it after watching US cop shows for the best part of 10 years?

and to make my point

President Obama: So tell me again why this nuclear bomb went off close to the boarder of California?

FBI Lead Agent: the international terrorist crossed the boarder into California, we are sorry the bomb went off and it killed millions of innocent people, but rules is rules, we had to stop on the boarder, and let the CBI handle it, only before they got there, the terrorist blow up there nuclear bomb.

Obama: and what do you say CBI Lead Agent?

CBI Lead Agent: we were going to tackle them, but this guy we work up, insists on making a drama out of everything, so we left it to the last minute again, and this time we were to late to stop the bombers.

Obama: thats it, I quit get Bush on the phone he can take charge from here on in.

FBI Agent: is that legal sir?

CBI Agent: have you not seen 24? of course its legal!

[Aragorn]

California Bureau of Investigation

[wamdue]

lol so I just made myself seem crazy?

[Aragorn]

No, when The Mentalist first person shooter video game comes out, you'll be validated.

[wamdue]

in my defence I have honestly never heard of the CBI before, and it seems odd that shows like 24 didnt mention it.

and yeah my spelling is awful tonight

[JonathonWally]

wamdue wrote:

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obviously I know we have things like the Texas Rangers, who help out the small sheriff departments, when they have major crimes, they are not equipped to deal with.

Texas Rangers are the equivilant of a the State Police in Texas and a "Texas Bureau of Investigation"

In New Jersey for instance, we call them "State Troopers"

[wamdue]

I thought State Troopers were just a force deployed in emergency situations

[cal888]

For what its worth, I've lived in California almost my whole life and had never heard about the CBI till The Mentalist.

California merged the State Police (who were responsible for protecting the State Capital building and officials) with the Highway Patrol, so the CHP is now more or less the State Police.

CBI seems to exist to assist local jurisdictions with investigations. California has many sparsely populated counties, and early Mentalist episodes were often set in these areas to explain why the CBI would be called in.

Bureau of Investigation & Intelligence

The Bureau of Investigation and Intelligence (BII) identifies major crime trends and initiates complex enforcement and investigative actions. Leadership, expertise, and investigative assistance is provided to law enforcement and sovereign governments in matters requiring the seizure of evidence, interviews of suspects, and other requests from foreign nations that may require investigative support. Investigating the "worst of the worst," including cases involving acts of terrorism, child exploitation, unsolved violent crimes, homicides, officer-involved shootings, and organized crime groups, BII also provides protection to witnesses and family members, conducts criminal investigative analysis, and provides unique forensic and intelligence services to local agencies and the Office of the Attorney General

[Chris3123]

wamdue wrote:

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I thought State Troopers were just a force deployed in emergency situations

You're thinking of the National Guard, a branch of the military.

[wamdue]

cal888 wrote:

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California merged the State Police (who were responsible for protecting the State Capital building and officials) with the Highway Patrol, so the CHP is now more or less the State Police.

I can understand individual states having a separate force to do those kind of things.

im just having this image of a local cop, coming across a big drugs case, finds evidence that its state wide, calls in the CBI, then the CBI find evidence that its spread across neighbouring states, and calls in the FBI to help.

on another channel at the same time as "The Mentalist" is Numb3rs about the LA department of the FBI, and ive seen most of the episodes, I don't recall the CBI being mentioned in that.

cal888 wrote:

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For what its worth, I've lived in California almost my whole life and had never heard about the CBI till The Mentalist.

I am pleased to here that its not just us Brits who have a problem with it.

[wamdue]

Chris3123 wrote:

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You're thinking of the National Guard, a branch of the military.

oh yes I am, damm it.

for all those times I have watched pretty young teens graduate high school on US TV shows & all those episodes of CSI, it seems I know shockingly little about US law enforcement.

[Starbreaker]

That's funny.

It's nice to see a different agency other than the FBI work on cases in a TV show.

[Michael Chris]

There's many, many (something like 18,000 according to the DOJ) different law enforcement and investigative agencies in the US. Federal, states, counties, local, etc., etc. each with unique jurisdiction and authority. So, don't feel bad about not hearing of one!

[Christopher]

wamdue wrote:

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on another channel at the same time as "The Mentalist" is Numb3rs about the LA department of the FBI, and ive seen most of the episodes, I don't recall the CBI being mentioned in that.

Well, they wouldn't deal with the same cases, generally. The FBI investigates federal crimes -- crimes that violate federal law or that have elements beyond a single state's jurisdiction. So the FBI would be assigned to deal with a federal case no matter what state it's in. A state's own police or bureau of investigation would deal with crimes on the state level; since those aren't federal cases, there's no reason for the Federal Bureau of Investigation to be involved. Similarly, a show about the LAPD wouldn't involve the CBI or FBI normally, because the LAPD would deal with crimes within the jurisdiction of Los Angeles, which wouldn't normally be state or federal matters.

[Liquidice]

California bureau of Investigation

The California Bureau of Investigation (CBI) provides expert investigative services to assist local, state and federal agencies in major criminal investigations across the state.

Major CBI responsibilities:

Perform investigations for the Attorney General's Legal Divisions

Assist D.A's & local law enforcement agencies in complex or multi-juristictional investigations.

Conduct special investigations as directed be Attorney General in response to request from the Governor.