Maryland, Virginia Battle for FBI Headquarters
BALTIMORE (WJZ)-- The FBI is outgrowing its headquarters in D.C. and is looking to relocate. Both Maryland and Virginia are trying to lure the FBI to relocate to their state.
While officials touted Greenbelt as an ideal location, there was also another major announcement that the University of Maryland will unveil a new academy. The university's sole purpose will be to cultivate the future workforce of the FBI.
"This will be the MIT, Carnegie Mellon, Silicon Valley all rolled into one as a one stop shop for the FBI," said Ken Ulman, chief strategy officer at the University of Maryland College Park.
The Maryland Academy for Innovation and National Security will merge resources between College Park and Baltimore to train the best of the best.
"Between your junior and senior year, you're interning at the FBI, you continue to work through your senior year while you get your security clearance and the day you graduate, the next day you walk into a job at the FBI," said Ulman.
This new national security academy at both campuses comes at a time when America's vulnerability to cyber-attacks is very evident.
In July hackers penetrated systems at the Democratic National Committee and revealed embarrassing emails.
"Cyber-attacks can shut down our country, our grid systems," said Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger.
Ruppersberger says creating this academy isn't just a matter of grabbing the FBI's attention, but it's also about preparing the country for a battle against a cyber-attack.
"Look at everything we do and how we are impacted by computers every day and yet unfortunately, a lot of people out there can shut those systems down. So we have to be ready, we have to stay ahead of the curve," said Ruppersberger.
The new academy will also provide opportunities for current FBI workers who want to go back to school.
The agency is looking at two sites in Maryland and one in Virginia as possibilities for its new headquarters.
Ruppersberger hopes the FBI will make a decision by the end of the year.
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