It’s not everyday the Behavioral Analysis Unit of the FBI accepts a new member to their elite team. Even more rare is the addition of a 22 year-old to the team.
"Agent Spencer Reid has a gifted mind," said team leader Special Supervisory Agent Jason Gideon, whose own resume dates back to the very beginning of the BAU. "He is young, and while he has never served in law enforcement, I see him as an integral part of the future of the BAU."
Others in the FBI community are surprised such a young man would be named to the FBI’s elite, but when asked, Agent Reid had this to say. “My age is not the issue. Certainly, when dealing with an emotional situation it can be difficult to accept bad news. It’s one of the reasons logic needs to become a more prominent state of being. Logically speaking, I’m the most qualified for the job.”
Indeed, with three doctorate degrees from Cal Tech already, and a staggering IQ of 187 (higher than Einstein’s, reportedly) as well as an eidetic memory, there is no psycho-logical exam or test the FBI could put in front of him he could not ace inside of an hour.
But what about the social aspect of the job? Knowing how to talk to victims’ families and dealing with local police are two facets law enforcement types will tell you are impossible to learn from a book. “It’s one of the reasons I have brought him aboard,” said Gideon. “With a little tutelage and some field experience there will be nothing Agent Reid will not be able to accomplish with this team.”