Paul Haertel

Paul Heartel concluded his service as Assistant Director of the FBI, where he was responsible for the Critical Incident Response Group. During his nearly thirty-year career, he held senior leadership positions both in the United States and abroad.

He headed the FBI Field Office in Salt Lake City, directed the Operations Section of the Counterterrorism Division, and oversaw the activities of the FBI’s tactical units. He has extensive investigative experience worldwide and spent five years in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, working closely with local law enforcement and security agencies.

He began his career in Kentucky as a member and team leader of an FBI SWAT unit. Before joining the Bureau, he served in the elite US Navy SEALs — an experience that gave him a unique blend of tactical and strategic skills he later applied in managing high-priority operations.