TASK (2025) is an American crime drama and police procedural. The seven-episode mini-series stars Mark Ruffalo as FBI Special Agent Tom Brandis and Tom Pelphrey as Robbie Prendergrast, a garbage man avenging his brother’s death by robbing his former violent biker gang of its drug proceeds.
Premise: In the working-class suburbs of Philadelphia, an FBI agent heads a task force to put an end to a string of violent robberies led by an unsuspected family man. (IMDb).
I love TASK because of its heart-breaking, adrenaline-pumping, tension-filled plotline. But at times, I felt like I was watching a horror show. It’s scary good.
However, I don’t watch FBI TV shows and movies to rate their entertainment value. Instead, I look for teachable moments about FBI policies, procedures, and programs. TASK provides the perfect opportunity to review the FBI Safe Streets Task Force initiative. In TASK, Agent Brandis is assigned to lead a task force to investigate the home invasion robberies. Two police detectives and a state trooper join him as task force officers (TFOs).
According to the FBI website, Violent Gang Safe Streets Task Forces are the vehicle through which federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies collaboratively address the violent crime plaguing communities.
The FBI’s Safe Streets and Gang Unit administers 178 Violent Gang Safe Streets Task Forces nationwide, increasing the effectiveness and productivity of limited personnel and logistical resources, avoiding duplication of investigations and consequent wasteful expenditure of resources in matters of concurrent jurisdiction, and expanding the cooperation and communication among law enforcement agencies. The initiative has been around since January 1992. (Read more here.)
While watching TASK, I noted how quickly the TFOs were selected. I called retired agent Scott Duffey for his insights. Not only was he the coordinator of the FBI’s Delaware Violent Crimes Task Force for 12 years, but Scott was hired by TASK’s creator and writer, Brad Ingels, to serve as the FBI consultant for the series.
Of course, due to time constraints, the selection process was severely truncated for the series. According to Scott, in real life, TFOs undergo a full background investigation, including a polygraph, before receiving a security clearance. Scott estimated that the vetting process typically takes 12 to 18 months. During that time, the individuals under consideration may work on the task force, but will not have access to FBI databases and reports.
New Castle County and Wilmington city police officers and detectives, a state trooper, and a probation officer were on Scott’s seven-member task force. He was the only FBI agent. Currently, there are three FBI agents assigned to his former team.
The TFOs are chosen by their respective agencies after following normal hiring and promotional protocols, such as submitting a resume and email request for consideration to the head of their organization. Each candidate will represent his or her department and, therefore, should be a “good fit,” well-rounded, and have an excellent reputation. Most TFOs average 5 years on FBI task forces. I forgot to double-check with Scott on this, but I understand overtime worked by the TFO is paid by the FBI and they have use of an FBI vehicle.
On TASK the TFOs wore the standard issued blue and gold FBI raid jacket. Scott told me that most task force budgets allow for the purchase of special branded shirts and jackets, which the TFOs proudly wear. Here’s a montage of TFOs and agents from around the country.
Retired agent Scott Duffey has twice been a guest on FBI Case File Review:
179: Scott Duffey – Thomas Gibison, Skinhead Racially Motivated Murder
157: Scott Duffey – Russian National Robs Bank, Kills Mother
Listen to these FBI Case File Review episodes to learn more about how the FBI works with law enforcement partners on a Safe Streets Task Force:
069: Gina Davis and Ted Jones – Triple Murder, Safe Streets Taskforce
328: Tom Blades and Jim Weber – Undercover Bikers, Murder-For-Hire
262: Jerome Lorrain and Joe Nicholson – Miss-A-Bama Murder
064: James Gagliano – Drug Gangs, Safe Streets, and Basketball
