ATLANTA — At one of the most challenging times in the FBI’s history, the field office that covers all of Georgia has a new leader.
FBI Atlanta says Georgia will benefit from new FBI Director Kash Patel’s plan to move resources out of FBI headquarters in Washington, DC and into the field and the Atlanta field office new Special Agent in Charge, Paul Brown, learned Tuesday the office that covers all of Georgia has been designated to get some of those shifted resources.
Channel 2 investigative reporter Mark Winne one-on-one with Brown on Tuesday.
“What I talk to both internally and to our partners, is we’re gonna make sure that our work demonstrates we are the FBI that you would want us to be. We follow the facts wherever they lead without any favor or bias. We are vested in keeping all Georgians safe regardless of background,” Brown said. “This really is the pinnacle of my career.”
Brown said he knows he’s coming to one of the FBI’s most important offices, which has worked some of the bureau’s biggest cases at a challenging time in the FBI’s history.
“What will your priorities be?” Winne asked Brown.
“This administration’s made it very clear by the declaration of the emergency at the border that all federal agencies are expected to help with immigration enforcement and getting control of that,” Brown said. “Also, with the designation of foreign terrorist organizations for the cartels and some of the international gangs, violent crime is going to be an absolute priority for us. So we intend to put an end to the free flow of drugs into our communities which kills over a hundred thousand Americans every year.”
TRENDING STORIES:
- The IRS is drafting plans to cut as much as half of its 90,000-person workforce, AP sources say
- Man meeting Gwinnett County teens with luxury gifts banned from schools
- DA drops charges against Coweta high school principal arrested for battery
“The focus on immigration enforcement that comes from the top, right? Does it leave the FBI with enough resources to do what it needs to do to protect Georgians from other types of crime?” Winne asked Brown.
“Absolutely. I’m happy to say I just found out today the Atlanta division for the FBI will be receiving additional resources,” Brown said.
“In the short time you’ve been in metro Atlanta, have your folks briefed you up to the effect that most violent crime in Georgia is gang-related?” Winne asked Brown.
“They have. In fact, almost all violent crime has a gang and drug nexus to it,” Brown said.
“Much of your career has been in counterterrorism and you’ve played a major role in supervising counter terrorism investigations for the FBI?” Winne asked Brown.
“That’s right,” Brown said.
“You helped run the Boston Marathon bombing investigation?” Winne asked Brown.
“That’s right, I had a role,” Brown told Winne.
“Understanding you can’t go into specifics, are there significant counter terrorism investigations underway?” Winne asked Brown.
“There absolutely are but that is, like I said before, a no-fail mission,” Brown said. “We can’t afford to have another 911. And we have to keep Georgia safe from terrorism.”
“To those who have heard talk about the FBI has thugs in it, should be disbanded, has been politically weaponized, what do you want Georgians to know?” Winne asked Brown.
“I can just talk about the FBI, and my experience has been since the first day at the FBI academy, when a person when asked why we’re there, every person said because they wanna do something meaningful and protect the American people,” Brown said.
He also mentioned leadership.
“It really comes down to core values, what kind of person you are, and the moral code that you have within you. Now, mine comes from a Christian faith, but I know the FBI’s comprised of all backgrounds,” Brown said.
“You say a prayer when you walked into this office for the first time?” Winne asked Brown.
“I did,” Brown said.
An FBI Atlanta spokesman said the field office is awaiting further details on what the new resources will be, and Brown expects to find out more as soon as Wednesday.
©2025 Cox Media Group
