Jelissa Orcinolo is a Supervisory Special Agent with the Miami Field Division. She oversees the operation of the Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. When we arrived, she approached us with an infectious smile, followed by an interview filled with laughter. She was eager to share her story about her journey of growing up in Puerto Rico to becoming a supervisory special agent with ATF.
Cultural Influence
Growing up in Puerto Rico has benefited Jelissa in multiple ways. The support she received from family taught her to always give her best, no matter what. Speaking Spanish has also helped her with communicating with and protecting diverse populations.
Making the Switch to Law Enforcement
Jelissa didn’t grow up around firearms and wasn’t exposed to law enforcement in her childhood. Hearing about ATF’s mission spoke to her desire to be a part of something special. She turned that desire into an incredible career and is happy she took the chance in joining federal law enforcement.
The training it takes to become a special agent is difficult. Jelissa embraced the challenge and found that the experience helped her develop the toughness she needed to be successful within ATF.
Succeeding as a Woman
Women make up only 15% of federal law enforcement. Thus, women face many additional challenges in the workplace, whether intentional or unintentional. Overcoming these challenges and succeeding in the face of adversity is something that women do every day.
Women are often hardworking, ambitious and empathetic leaders. Their differing approaches to leadership provide fresh ideas and bring innovation to the workplace. Having diversity at higher levels also helps in attracting diverse talent. Allowing women to lead with their natural strengths has been proven to be successful.
The Importance of Crime Gun Intelligence Centers
ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence Centers (CGICs) serve as intelligence hubs and coordination centers for federal, state and local responses to mass shootings and other major crimes involving firearms. CGICs use cutting-edge forensic science and crime gun evidence to support the investigation and prosecution of violent criminals. CGICs are an interagency collaboration between ATF, law enforcement agencies, forensics labs, academic institutions and prosecutors committed to stopping gun crimes.
The Truth About ATF
There are a lot of false narratives about what ATF does and the job that special agents do every day. We are committed to reducing violent crime and preventing criminals from acquiring firearms. This is done by enforcing federal gun laws and working with the firearms industry to promote lawful gun ownership.
Choosing Law Enforcement
Working in law enforcement can be a rewarding career. It’s a commitment to serving and protecting the community that you live in. The training that’s received is used to develop skills in emergency response, decision-making, public communication, ethics and empathy. Each workday is different from the last, which makes working in law enforcement an exciting experience.
ATF is one of the smaller law enforcement agencies, but it plays a big role in today’s society. We offer a wide range of career paths with each role ensuring that we effectively fight violent crime. The work done each day at ATF is vital in keeping the public safe.