While the centralization of the federal government helps to ensure that Americans’ democratic will is implemented by their leaders, it can also be a major hindrance to that goal.
Centralization breeds politicization. We are seeing this on a massive scale right now at the beginning of the second Trump administration, including at the FBI with an anonymous agent’s letter to Americans “warning” against the second Trump administration’s agenda that they voted to implement.
As a retired FBI agent who believes in the rule of law, this is disheartening. I know firsthand that the bureau’s mission is to uphold justice impartially — not to engage in political activism. These are not one-off incidents, either — Department of Homeland Security employees and Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials leaked immigration raid information to the press. This was common in the first Trump administration, as well.
America is in an incredibly dangerous and precarious situation right now. The politicization affecting the highest echelons of law enforcement will only make Americans’ lives worse off if it is allowed to continue. Thankfully, the FBI under Director Kash Patel is taking a good step in the right direction to root out politicization at the agency: controlled decentralization.
The FBI was designed to serve and protect Americans, yet excessive centralization has hindered its ability to do so effectively. A regional approach to FBI operations could be a positive step. The excessive centralization of power at FBI headquarters has led to inefficiency, lack of accountability, and a bureaucratic culture that prioritizes career advancement over mission effectiveness.
Shifting some authority and personnel from Washington to regional offices can improve responsiveness, enhance investigative efficiency, and rebuild public trust — as Patel plans to do with up to 1,500 FBI agents. This, in turn, makes American communities safer by spreading leadership and decision-making authority across the country. It also dilutes the risk of politicization, ensuring that the FBI remains focused on its mission rather than external pressures. And, as someone who has seen how the sausage gets made, the less political spice you can add to the mix, the better.
Decentralization can also make it much harder for whoever is leading the FBI to politicize it, including Patel and the directors who follow him. With agents deployed across America investigating federal crimes within their areas of responsibility, it becomes much more difficult for a civil rights-trampling political agenda to become a permanent fixture in our nation’s most powerful law enforcement organization. It also ensures that there is not only one ideology pervasive throughout the agency’s ranks.
This not only protects Americans’ will when electing government officials, but it also safeguards their constitutional rights. Houston field office FBI agents may approach a case differently than how agents from Los Angeles or New York may approach them. Moreover, these agents will know what’s best for their communities than Beltway brass, which leads to better leadership overall in the long run.
And federal law enforcement’s trampling of Americans’ constitutional rights has become pervasive over the past few decades. We saw it right in front of our faces under the Biden administration. That is why Americans mandated change in the federal government. They mandated the government work for them, not be weaponized against them, such as in the case of pro-life activist Mark Houck. They saw what happened to him after he protected his 12-year-old son from a rabid abortion clinic escort when the Biden Department of Justice dispatched the FBI in a large, highly visible, heavily armed raid into his suburban Pennsylvania home.
We all know it can happen to us, too.
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Patel’s vision for the FBI is one of strength, accountability, and renewed purpose. His plan for controlled decentralization is not just a bureaucratic shuffle — it is a fundamental restructuring aimed at restoring the bureau’s effectiveness and integrity. By shifting power to the field, reinforcing the chain of command, and depoliticizing decision-making, Patel is ensuring that the FBI remains the premier law enforcement agency in the world.
The road ahead requires commitment and careful implementation, but with Patel at the helm, the FBI is on a path toward becoming a more responsive, accountable, and mission-driven organization. Former FBI agents at Reform the Bureau support these efforts, ensuring that the bureau continues to serve Americans with excellence for generations to come.
Richard Stout is a retired FBI special agent with 22 years of experience in the FBI Miami Office. He is the director of Reform the Bureau, an organization focused on FBI reform.