CBI HQ in The Mentalist
The California Bureau of Investigation was a law enforcement agency created by the State of California. They have the ability to take over any criminal case in the state and seem to reserve the same rights as the FBI.
In the show two main teams made up the California Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which were based in Sacramento and also had offices in San Francisco and Fresno. In the hierarchy of the state government, the Director of the CBI answers to the state Attorney General. Each field office has a chief, the largest of which is in Sacramento where the series takes place.
The last Chief of the CBI's Sacramento Office was Luther Wainwright. The previous chiefs were J.J. LaRoche who went back to Internal Affairs, Madeleine Hightower, who was presumably fired after being framed by Red John, and Virgil Minelli, who retired following the murders of Sam Bosco and his team by Rebecca.
The Chief of the CBI's Sacramento Office answers to Gale Bertram, the CBI Director who has also been referred to as the deputy Attorney General. It may be that CBI Director might be a title of the Attorney General's office and hence held by the same individual.
In 2013, during the final stages for the hunt for Red John, Supervisory Special Agent Dennis Abbott "permanently" closed down the CBI as a result of The Blake Association.
Lisbon's Team[]
Lisbon's team at the CBI
- Senior Special Agent Teresa Lisbon
- Special Agent Wayne Rigsby
- Special Agent Kimball Cho
- Special Agent Grace Van Pelt
- Special Agent Stephen Hannigan (transferred)
- Consultant Patrick Jane
Bosco's Team[]
- Senior Special Agent Sam Bosco (†)
- Special Agent Marlon Hicks (†)
- Special Agent Mark Dyson (†)
- Special Agent Nick Martinez (†)
- Secretary Rebecca Anderson (†)
Rebecca was exposed as an accomplice of Red John after she murdered Bosco's team under Red John's orders. Who, if anyone, has replaced Bosco's team isn't yet known.
Haffner's team[]
- Senior Special Agent Ray Haffner (†)
- Special Agent Rick Tork
- Special Agent Anthony Niskin
- Special Agent Ed Masterson
- Consultant Patrick Jane (temporary)
- Special Agent Grace Van Pelt (temporary; support)
- Special Agent Kimball Cho (temporary; support)
They are introduced in episode Little Red Book. Jane joins the team when Lisbon's team is temporarily dismantled. He tries to get the whole Lisbon's team back in business and succees to do so by gaining suspensions to Tork, Niskin and Masterson. Then, Haffner left the CBI and works as a private detective primarily for the cult like group Visualize. Ray Hafner was killed in the explosion at Patrick Jane's home.
Leadership[]
Bureau Directors[]
- Virgil Minelli (2001-2009) - retired after the deaths of Bosco, Hicks, Dyson and Martinez
- Gale Bertram (2009-2013) - dismissed after his involvement with the Blake Association is uncovered
Sacramento Special Agent in Charge[]
- Virgil Minelli (2001-2009) - also Director
- Madeleine Hightower (2009-2011) - retired after being framed for murder by Red John
- J.J. LaRoche (2011) - temporarily, replaced by Wainwright
- Luther Wainwright (2011-2012) - deceased, replaced by Bertram
- Gale Bertram (2012-2013) - also Director
- Teresa Lisbon (2013) temporarily, resigned after CBI offices are shut down by the FBI
Other known members[]
- Special Agent J.J. LaRoche (†) (former Head of Internal Affairs)
- Media Relations officer Brenda Shettrick (former Head of the CBI Media Relations Unit)
- Forensics Lead Agent Brett Partridge (†) (former CSI technician)
- Forensics Agent Val Ziskin (CSI technician)
- Foley (CSI tech) and other various CSI members
- Special Agent Ron
- Special Agent Karl
- ADA Oscar Ardiles † (Assistant District Attorney, collaborator of CBI)
- DDA Sarah Harrigan, (public defender and lawyer, Deputy District Attorney, collaborator of CBI)
- Security Guards Jim and Jimmy
- Special Agent Vint Molinari (former Head of the Missing People's Unit)
- Marcia Wallace (coroner)
- Coroner Pat (coroner)
- Coroner Steiner (†) (former coroner)
- Baris Acar (†) (former morgue assistant)
- Special Agent Tamsin Wade (Counter Gang Unit)
- Special Agent Stephen Hannigan (former special agent)
- Dr. Roy Carmen (former CBI psychiatrist)
- Special Agent Craig O'Laughlin (†) (former FBI Agent and external collaborator of CBI)
Agents on the list of (Golden Hammer)[]
- Agent Claudia Chavez
- Agent Chris Kieffer
- Agent Deborah Chenier
- Agent Mark Hochman
- Agent Salvador Palacios
- Agent Mike Riner
All these persons were being stalked by Richard Haibach and his sister Hazel.
Mark Hochman is named after the computer and video playback supervisor of the series.
Behind the Scenes[]
The Logo for the Real Life CBI
The CBI is an actual organization which few know about or acknowledge. This fact is played on constantly in The Mentalist as the characters introduce themselves to people.
External Links[]
Special Agent in Charge
Virgil Minelli (Retired) • Madeleine Hightower (Retired) • J.J. LaRoche (†) • Luther Wainwright (†) • Gale Bertram (†) • Teresa Lisbon (Resigned)
Lisbon's Team
Teresa Lisbon • Wayne Rigsby • Kimball Cho • Grace Van Pelt • Patrick Jane (Consultant) • Stephen Hannigan (Transferred)
Bosco's Team
Sam Bosco (†) • Rebecca Anderson (†) • Marlon Hicks (†) • Mark Dyson (†) • Nick Martinez (†)
Haffner's Team
Ray Haffner (†) • Rick Tork • Anthony Niskin • Ed Masterson
Other Members