In FBI Director Kash Patel's first full month in office, the
agency has received a record number of applications for new agents. The number
of people seeking employment in law enforcement has more than doubled the
monthly average since 2016.
Fox News Digital reported that 5,577 new applications for
FBI agents were submitted in March. The last time that number came close to
that number in a month was in April 2016, when 5,283 applications were
received.
According to FBI data analyzed by Fox News Digital, the
average monthly application rate in 2023 was 2,797, and the average monthly
application rate in 2024 was 3,383.
"Director Patel and Deputy Director (Dan) Bongino have
placed a strong emphasis on restoring confidence in federal law enforcement and
boosting the recruitment of new agents. These record-breaking initial results
certainly suggest the new FBI is on the right track," FBI spokesperson Ben
Williamson told Fox News on Wednesday.