Duster is an American crime thriller series co-created and co-written by J. J. Abrams and LaToya Morgan. It stars Rachel Hilson as Special Agent Nina Hayes, Josh Holloway as getaway driver Jim Ellis, and Keith David as Ezra Saxton, the boss of the crime syndicate.
Before continuing with this review, I must issue a disclaimer. If you haven’t heard already, I am an FBI technical consultant for Duster and I’m totally invested in this show. I write about my experience at the end of this post. Therefore, I admit it would be impossible for me to provide an impartial review of this show because I love everything about it. I’m obsessed. Fortunately, my reviews focus on teachable moments about FBI policy, programs, and procedures.
Here’s the series premise: Set in Phoenix in the 1970s, the first black female FBI agent takes on a crime syndicate by teaming up with a gutsy getaway driver.
As I watched Duster, I quickly determined the lesson to highlight would be informant development or, in today’s FBI vernacular, the development of human intelligence (HUMINT). HUMINT is the information and intelligence collected from individuals through overt or covert techniques, such as interviews and debriefings.
In the first episode, we learn that SA Nina Hayes has been assigned to investigate organized crime boss Ezra Saxton, who she believes killed her father. She soon realizes the only way to determine what Saxton’s organization is up to is to develop an inside man, an informant. She targets longtime and loyal Saxton employee, Jim Ellis, and convinces Ellis to cooperate with her investigation.
There are cases, like SA Nina’s, where the only way law enforcement can gather evidence is to have someone on the inside working on their behalf by providing information and evidence the source has access to during his or her normal course of business.
While watching Duster, we see how an agent might select and develop an informant or cooperating witness. SA Nina uses evidence implicating Saxton’s involvement in the suspicious death of Ellis’s brother to convince Ellis to cooperate. His motivation to work with her is based on revenging Joe’s murder.
Other reasons for informants to provide intel to the FBI and law enforcement include a reduction in charges, financial compensation, and ideological factors. During file reviews, every FBI agent, no matter what violation they worked, is expected to have confidential sources. It’s mandatory. So, in addition to Jim Ellis providing vital intel for her case, opening him as a confidential source also allows SA Nina to meet her performance evaluation metrics.
Let’s discuss the informant development guidelines outlined in the following summary of the FBI’s Confidential Human Source Policy Guide:
The FBI recruits and operates confidential human sources (CHS) to obtain intelligence which advances investigative program priorities, meets national and FBI intelligence collection requirements, and, through dissemination, supports objectives of the United States government’s intelligence and law enforcement communities. CHS are evaluated to better ascertain the nature and extent of their access, security risks, suitability, and susceptibility. The recruitment phase involves convincing the individual to agree to voluntarily enter into a relationship with the FBI in order to provide operational assistance and/or intelligence.
The CHS must receive appropriate admonishment regarding the nature and parameters of his or her relationship with the FBI.
When SA Nina asks Jim to sign paperwork, he is acknowledging receipt and understanding of the following admonishments – his assistance and information are provided voluntarily, he must not seek or take any independent action on behalf of the U. S. Government (USG), he must provide truthful information, the USG will strive to protect his identity, but cannot guarantee that it will not be divulged. Additional documented admonishments include, he is not authorized to engage in any criminal activity and has no immunity from prosecution for unauthorized criminal activity; he is not an employee of the USG and may not represent himself as such.
All contact and meetings with informants must be documented and serialized in the informant’s file. Informant files are maintained separately from case files and can only be accessed on a need-to-know basis.
In today’s FBI, an agent’s core responsibilities continue to be to create and maintain a CHS base to provide vital information supporting FBI investigation and national intelligence priorities. In addition to an assigned case agent, every CHS must have an assigned and identified co-case agent with all the same duties, responsibilities, and file accesses. SA Nina’s squad member in Duster, SA Awan Bitsui, is her co-case agent.
Although in Duster, Jim doesn’t request payment for providing intel to the FBI about his boss Saxton, a CHS may be compensated for services provided and/or reimbursed for expenses incurred in furtherance of an investigative matter. Jim would be excited to learn that since he drives his beloved Duster to support SA Nina’s investigation, she can reimburse him for basic maintenance expenses (i.e. oil changes, tire rotation/replacement) in an amount reasonably proportionate for the vehicle’s use in furtherance of an investigative matter. Ride on!
Learn more about the creation of Duster and my role as an FBI advisor by listening to FBI Retired Case File Review episode 356: Duster HBO Max with LaToya Morgan and Rachel Hilson.
Duster is currently streaming on HBO Max. View the official series trailer Go Behind the Scenes here with Josh Holloway and The Duster Creators.
Regarding my role in the creation of Duster, it was June 23, 2020, and the subject line was “FBI Technical Consultant on new JJ Abrams show.” The message that had popped up in my inbox read:
“I’m a writer’s assistant to JJ Abrams and LaToya Morgan, working on a new show for Bad Robot and Warner Brothers. I was wondering if you might be interested in speaking to us as a technical consultant regarding some questions the three of us have about what it’s like to work for the FBI. We’re looking for authenticity as we describe a character’s day-to-day life on the job. Your page and podcast were brought to our attention by some staff on another show we were friendly with, and you came highly recommended. Thanks for considering us!”
My first thought? Is this a prank?
Two days later, after first signing a non-disclosure agreement, I began my duties as the FBI consultant for the not yet titled TV series Duster while waiting for Warner Brothers to complete my contract for a lump payment for the pilot and fee installments for production completion of each series episode for the first two seasons. Although my pay stubs list me as a consulting producer, my contract states I would receive screen credit as a technical advisor on a shared card.
Many TV and film productions hire subject matter experts to help them develop accurate portrayals. Many have hired agents to assist with shows specially featuring FBI characters and plots to provide guidance about the Bureau policies, programs, and procedures. I have worked on other TV projects, such as Class of ’09 on Hulu.
So, what exactly does an FBI TV technical consultant do?
We advise writers and actors on how to accurately depict how the FBI and agents perform their duties by answering questions and providing suggestions for possible plot points and dialogue. Early on, I had several Zoom meetups with JJ and LaToya, and then responded to hundreds of texts, phone calls, and emails from JJ, LaToya, Mike Horowitz, and others from the writers’ room over the four-year period the show was written and filmed.
In addition to the writers with whom I corresponded with several times a week, I also spoke with talent, set designers, prop guys, and script coordinators. Plus, I provided them with lots of 1970s-1980s era FBI photos from my personal collection.
Based on my association with retired agents who have been guests on FBI Retired Case File Review and my connections via the Society of Former Agents of the FBI, I referred the production staff to other retired agents, such as the former firearms instructor who showed Rachel Hilson how to shoot. That Duster took place in the early 1970s made me the ideal consultant for the show. Although I didn’t join the FBI until 10 years, I knew well the atmosphere of the Bureau immediately following the Hoover era and I definitely knew what it was like to be one of the first black female agents, since I was the first in the Norfolk and Sacramento Field Offices.
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