Policing Assignment | Homework for You
In White Collar, episode 9 of season 1, our main agency responding to the crime here is FBI, White Collar Divison. As discussed in the earlier assignment, Peter and Niel are investigating a judge for mortgage fraud. While a counter competitor of Peter’s, Fowler, from the State Department is transferred over to NYC to work on the same case. But Fowler is under Judge Clark’s “payroll” to look the other way for her doings.
Evidence gathering for Peter backfired when he went to meet Judge Clark at her office to get some questions answers. Clark is aware of the risks of the type of work she is taking advantage of and knows how to play others for her gain. Peter meeting her at the office has no clue is being videoed while Clark knowingly attempts to bribe Peter. To which he makes the mistake of saying not yes, but the mistake of not saying no, either. Clark is all over Peter and his family to get as much private information, along with possible bribery, to get Peter charged and stripped of duty as per the request of Fowler. This is why Fowler has found his way into NYC all of sudden when his “friend” is under some heat from the Feds.
Peter’s wife gets Niel to con his way into Judge Clark’s office and tamper with the tape before it’s sent out to Fowler to present to the Director of the FBI to have Senior Agent Peter Burke fired over bribery. But fails as Neil affecting was able to temper with the tape before the delivery was even picked up. Getting spooked Clark makes multiple mistakes and Peter was able the whole team behind him in searching for evidence. After dumping through files all night, team finds that there should be about two million dollars in unmarked cash still with Clark which is more than enough for an arrest and further investigation into the case. Which they were able to set up Fowler and Clark to meet at the same spot with all the cash while the FBI raids in as the cash is visible.
Policing in this show is shown rather dramatic, at least in this episode. Peter didn’t refuse the bribe because he wanted to see further the results of Clark’s actions. But she beat him to it by having a recording of the bribery with no intent of denial. Putting his entire career at risk, but was saved by the wishing of his wife and competence of Neil. But illegally saved through evidence tampering.
Originally, in the FBI, there is Financial Crimes Section (FCS), positioned in the agency’s Criminal Investigative Division, investigating white-collar crimes. Which then is broken into many different sub-units that focus on depending of the type of the crime. Units such as “Health
Care Fraud Unit (HCFU), Forensic Accountants Unit, National Mortgage Fraud Unit, and Asset Forfeiture/Money Laundering Unit” – (Payne, 690). Depending on the crime dedicated teams have the right mindset and tools this helps fast track the investigations and divide them up appropriately.
White Collar, takes the easy route and creates, FBI – White Collar Divison for easier understanding of the show but in real life, but Peter would be operating one of the units listed earlier if he were a real character. And because to keep the tv series entertaining, more focus is on the dramatic relationship between Fowler and Peter, while Neil, who’s on work release, is committing a federal crime by tampering with the evidence might for federal agents. Policing in the episode was utterly disappointing and lack any real-life policing into white-collar crimes.
