Here’s good news for professional board passers. They can become agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) under its policy to take in personnel from diverse fields to address the premier security agency’s diverse needs in the battle against crime.

NBI Director Jaime Santiago said on Daily Tribune’s Straight Talk online program on Wednesday that the NBI is discarding its policy of accepting only lawyers, doctors and certified public accountants (CPAs) into its fold.

The agency, for instance, is giving criminology students a new profession to aspire to, and not limit themselves to becoming policemen after graduation.

“It’s good news for students of criminology — after they pass the board exam, they can be NBI agents. Previously, when you were a criminology course graduate, you went straight to the police force but now you can be accepted at the NBI,” Santiago said.

Santiago announced the relaxing of NBI personnel requirements at the graduation rites of the Philippine College of Criminology where he was the guest speaker.

“I told the graduates to take the board exams, pass it and then apply to be NBI agents,” Santiago said to cheers from the audience.

Santiago said he has talked to criminology school officials to encourage a change in the mindset of the students.

“It is important to raise the practice of criminology to allow a bigger professional field,” he said.

Those aspiring to be NBI agents will have to go through the rigors of applying because, Santiago said, he is very strict with background information and neuro examinations for new entrants.

“You cannot enter the NBI if the neuro result is not good or your background is questionable,” he said.

Santiago, a fancied sharpshooter when he was with the Manila Police Force whose legendary exploits merited the creation of a movie, recounted that when he talks to college graduates applying to become policemen, his temper flares when he hears that becoming a policeman was their last resort since they couldn’t find another job.

“Such a poor appreciation of being a policeman is among the reasons for the increase in the number of misfits, since it is a second choice,” he said.

Santiago said this should not be the case since a law enforcer must have the appropriate education and attitude for the job.