Supervisory Special
Agent (SSA)
Tisha Louise Saldivar
Regional Polygraph Program Manager
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Security and Dallas Division
For Tisha Louise Saldivar serving in the Federal
Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was always a dream.
That’s why she sometimes still catches herself
wondering if her job at the FBI is real.
“The majority of FBI investigations utilize
some form of STEM to successfully investigate
and prosecute a case. To be a part of this great
organization and utilize my STEM abilities to
serve this great country is what drew me in,”
says Saldivar, who serves as Supervisory Special
Agent (SSA) and Regional Polygraph Manager
within the Security and Dallas Division of the FBI.
She’s extremely proud of working at the
premier intelligence-driven, national security
law enforcement agency. The FBI is charged
with protecting American lives and liberties
from foreign and domestic enemies. The agency
combines law enforcement and intelligence
to detect, deter and dismantle criminal and
domestic threats, while upholding civil liberties,
using a wide array of advanced scientific
techniques and operational technologies.
Saldivar predominantly works cases involving
violent crimes, bank robberies, kidnapping,
extortion, drugs and domestic and international
terrorism. She can’t disclose too many details but
did offer a glimpse of a missing child’s case.
“After the case agent and management
narrowed down the subject list to a few, I was
called in. I conducted the interview with the
subject and after a failed polygraph, I was able
to obtain information regarding where the missing
child may be located,” says SSA Saldivar.
“I immediately contacted our Evidence
Response Team to a certain location and through
their use of STEM, we were able to find the body
of the child. To be able to find this child for the
family and bring this subject to justice is what we
are trained to do.”
As Coordinator for the National Center for the
Analysis of Violent Crimes Behavioral Analysis in
Dallas, she is charged with responding to both
the FBI and outside agencies, by offering criminal
analysis, profiles, behavioral and personality
assessments, interview and interrogation
strategies, statement analysis and more.
Saldivar is responsible for the South Central
Region of the United States and her region assists
Washington D.C. and overseas operational needs.
“I believe our Polygraph Program makes a
huge impact within the FBI and beyond. We
provide resources and expertise to State and
local law enforcement agencies. Our job is to
use our interviewing and interrogation skills in
conjunction with technology (polygraph) to obtain
truthful and accurate information. We strive to
bring justice for the victim or the accused,”
she says.
The Spanish-European descendant credits her
parents for instilling in her the core principles of
compassion, faith, family and respect.
“I believe sticking to these principles have
enabled me to become a successful interviewer,
interrogator and leader.”
She says there is nothing that can’t be
accomplished with the right attitude.
LS
Want to comment or have any questions on
this article? Email us at info@latinastyle.com
Supervisory Special Agent Tisha Saldivar puts ITS James Bruce in the hot
seat to run a simulation.
Assistant Special Agent in Charge Niambi Tillman (left) and Supervisory
Special Agent Tisha Saldivar (right) review a training document for the
Polygraph Unit.
10 www.latinastyle.com LATINAStyle Vol. 24, No. 5, 2018
/www.latinastyle.com
link
