The Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (formerly known as the Associate Director) is a senior

United States government The federal government of the United States (U.S. federal government or U.S. government) is the national government of the United States, a federal republic located primarily in North America, composed of 50 states, a city within a fede ...

position in the

Federal Bureau of Investigation The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States and its principal federal law enforcement agency. Operating under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Justice, ...

. The office is second in command to the

Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation The Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation is the head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, a United States' federal law enforcement agency, and is responsible for its day-to-day operations. The FBI Director is appointed for a single ...

. If the director is absent or the position is vacant, the deputy director automatically takes on the additional title and role of acting director. The office is also the highest position attainable within the FBI without being appointed by the

President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United Stat ...

. Responsibilities as deputy director include assisting the director and leading prominent investigations. All other FBI executives and special agents in charge report to the director through the deputy director. From 1978 to 1987, the position of deputy director was not filled due to

William Hedgcock Webster William Hedgcock Webster (born March 6, 1924) is an American attorney and jurist who most recently served as chair of the Homeland Security Advisory Council from 2005 until 2020. He was a United States district judge of the United States Distric ...

's decision to divide the deputy's responsibility between three positions.

Paul Abbate Paul M. Abbate ( ) is an American law enforcement officer who has served as the Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation since 2021. He previously served as the Associate Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. C ...

, former associate deputy director of the FBI, was named deputy director on February 1, 2021.

Deputy directors

Fictional deputy directors

Alvin Kersh Alvin D. Kersh is a fictional character in the Fox science fiction television series ''The X-Files'', played by James Pickens Jr. He serves as a figure of authority within the series, first introduced as an Assistant Director of the Federal Bure ...

, the deputy director of the FBI on ''

The X-Files ''The X-Files'' is an American science fiction on television, science fiction drama (film and television), drama television series created by Chris Carter (screenwriter), Chris Carter. The series revolves around Federal Bureau of Investigation ...

''. *

Avery Ryan FBI Deputy Director Avery Ryan, Ph.D. is a fictional character portrayed by Patricia Arquette. She was a psychologist in New York until she was hacked and one of her patients was murdered because of it. Avery made her first appearance during the ...

, the deputy director of the FBI and the director of the FBI's Cyber division. She is the protagonist of '' CSI: Cyber''. * Miranda Shaw, the deputy director of the FBI on '' Quantico''. * Owen Hall, the deputy director of the FBI on '' Quantico''. * Gordon Cole, the deputy director of the FBI on ''

Twin Peaks ''Twin Peaks'' is an American Mystery fiction, mystery serial drama television series created by Mark Frost and David Lynch. It premiered on American Broadcasting Company, ABC on April 8, 1990, and originally ran for two seasons until its cance ...

''. *Victor Fitzgerald, deputy director of the FBI on ''

Without A Trace ''Without a Trace'' is an American police procedural drama television series created by Hank Steinberg that aired on CBS from September 26, 2002 to May 19, 2009 with the total of seven seasons and 160 episodes. The series focuses the cases of ...

''. *Jason Atwood, the deputy director of the FBI on ''

Designated Survivor In the United States, a designated survivor (or designated successor) is a named individual in the presidential line of succession, chosen to stay at an undisclosed secure location, away from events such as State of the Union addresses and pre ...

''.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Deputy Director Of The Federal Bureau Of Investigation Deputy Directors of the Federal Bureau of Investigation