IMHo, the FBI labs and some specialized investigators who have no power to make an arrest would fulfill the goals the FBI is supposed to achieve and there would be far less opportunity for it being used to abuse the citizenry.
An expanded Federal Marshals service could handle arrests by working with State and local officials to execute a Federal warrant when need be. Historically, the Marshals Service has been much less inclined to entertain the aims and whims of politicians while as far as I can tell politicians have always had too much influence over the actions of the FBI.
JMHo
Excellent ideas.
Agreed. J. Edgar Hoover was famous for his political use of the FBI, so this has been a constant for decades.
I think it’s not a bad idea to have a federal criminal investigation force (for real crimes, such as kidnapping, etc.) but it seems that most of the things they are “investigating” now aren’t even criminal but political. That’s got to stop.
But it’s also true that with modern information services and the ability of local or state LE to search databases and obtain information which before could only be had directly from the FBI, perhaps it’s reason for being has evaporated and, as you say, Federal Marshals could do most of what is needed.