FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT CAREER
INFORMATION
A federal police
officer enforces federal law. There is a vast array of federal
law enforcement agencies. Some employ uniformed police officers;
others hire criminal investigators sometimes called special
agents who conduct investigations. Each agency has certain
duties and responsibilities that have been mandated
legislatively. Federal law enforcement officers can arrest
people who commit federal crimes.
A sample of the Federal Law Enforcement agencies.
Federal Bureau of Investigation
FBI Special
Agents are responsible for national security investigations and
for enforcing federal statutes. They may work on matters
including terrorism, foreign counterintelligence, computer and
internet crime, identity theft, organized crime, white-collar
crime, public corruption, civil rights violations, financial
crime, bribery, bank robbery, extortion, kidnapping, air piracy,
interstate criminal activity, fugitive and drug-trafficking
matters, and other violations of federal statutes. All new
agents must successfully complete intense training at the FBI
academy in Quantico, VA
Border
Patrol
The Border
Patrol’s prevents terrorists and terrorist’s weapons, from
coming into the United States. The detection and apprehension of
illegal aliens and those who smuggle them is a top priority. The
Border Patrol is specifically responsible for patrolling about
6,000 miles of Mexican and Canadian international land borders
and more than 2,000 miles of coastal waters in the south eastern
United States.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement – ICE
As part of the
Department of Homeland Security -ICE- is the largest
investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security.
Special agents protect public safety by targeting the people,
currency and supplies that support terrorist and criminal
activities. Special Agents enforce the nation’s customs and
immigration laws by investigating the smuggling of illegal
aliens and illegal imports.
Marshals
Service
The most
important mission of Deputy U.S. Marshals is to ensure the safe
conduct of judicial proceedings. They protect federal judges,
jurors and other members of the federal judiciary. The Marshals
Service conducts investigations involving: escaped federal
prisoners; probation, parole and bail default violators. State
Police and Local Police work with them to track down dangerous
fugitives on the run from Law Enforcement.
ATF-
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
The ATF is
committed to preventing terrorism, reducing violent crime, and
protecting our Nation. ATF Agents are responsible for
investigating violations of federal law relating to alcohol,
tobacco, firearms, explosives and arson. Investigations involve
observation, raids, interview and interrogation, making arrests,
executing search warrants, and looking for physical evidence.
Air Force
Office of Special Investigations
The Air Force
Office of Special Investigations is the Air Force's major
investigative service. Most Special Agents are civilian
personnel who provide specialized investigative services to
commanders of Air Force activities. AFOSI's primary
responsibilities are criminal investigations and
counterintelligence services. They identify, investigate and
neutralize criminal, terrorist, and espionage threats to Air
Force and Department of Defense personnel and resources.
Capitol
Police
The United
States Capitol Police provides security for the United States
Capitol Building. They protect life and property, detect,
prevent and investigate criminal acts, enforce traffic
regulations around the Capitol. They are responsible for
protecting Members of Congress, Officers of the United States
Senate, United States House of Representatives, and their
families.
Central Intelligence Agency
Security Protective Officers are entry-level armed and uniformed
positions. They are assigned to the CIA’s Security Protective
Service. This agency protects Agency personnel, facilities and
information through the enforcement of Federal Laws and Agency
Regulations.
Coast
Guard Investigative Service
As part of the Department of Homeland Security -Special Agents
assigned to The Coast Guard Investigative Service carry out the
Coast Guard's internal and external criminal investigations.
Special Agents are full-time civilian investigators hired from
competent civilian applicants.
They provide personal protection services such as the security
of the integrity of the Coast Guard and its staff.
Customs and Border Protection
Customs and
Border Protection Officers work at our nation’s international
airports, seaports or land border crossings. They are part of
the front line of defense against terrorist intrusion, as well
as criminal activities, such as drug smuggling, money
laundering, and undocumented entry of individuals, weapons
trafficking, smuggling of prohibited goods and a host of customs
violations. CBP Officers interact with the traveling public
arriving from overseas.
Transportation Security Administration
Part of the Department of
Homeland Security - U.S. Transportation Security Administration
(TSA) employees help secure our transportation infrastructure
from future terrorist acts in intelligence, regulation
enforcement and inspection positions. Federal Air Marshals serve
as the primary law enforcement agency within the Transportation
Security Administration and are deployed on flights around the
world and in the United States. They protect air passengers and
work closely with other law enforcement agencies to accomplish
their mission. Air Marshals also staff several positions at
different organizations such as the National Counterterrorism
Center, the National Targeting Center, and the FBI’s Joint
Terrorism Task Forces.
Defense
Criminal Investigative Service
DCIS Special
Agents are civilian law enforcement positions. They conduct
investigations in the Department of Defense as the Inspector
General considers appropriate. They ensure U.S. military
personnel have the best and safest equipment to accomplish their
mission. Special agents combat terrorism by working with
Federal, State, and Local law enforcement agencies as part of
Joint Terrorism Task Forces throughout the United States.
Department of State Diplomatic
Security
Diplomatic Security Special Agents are federal law enforcement
officers who serve worldwide. Overseas, special agents advise
ambassadors on security issues and synchronize all of a
mission's security programs. Special agents spend a substantial
portion of their careers abroad serving at diplomatic posts. In
the United States, agents investigate passport and visa fraud
and protect the Secretary of State and visiting foreign
dignitaries.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
As part of the Department of
Homeland Security- FEMA employees prevent losses from disasters
wherever possible, and assist when they do happen. you will be
part of an intensely-focused team dedicated to helping our
country prepare for, prevent, respond to, and recover from
disasters.
Drug
Enforcement Administration
DEA Special
Agents enforce the controlled substances laws and regulations of
the United States of America. They bring to justice
organizations - including those with ties to terrorism - and
their principal members, who are involved in the growing,
manufacture or distribution of illegal drugs. This is often done
by infiltrating these criminal organizations.
Environmental Protection Agency
The United States EPA is expected to protect human health and
the environment. Special Agents in the Office of Enforcement and
Compliance Assurance investigate and analyze environmental
crimes. They also identify and work to prevent noncompliance
with environmental statutes.
Federal Protective Service
The United
States Federal Protective Service is part of the U.S.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement. FPS is charged with
providing the vast federal communities controlled by General
Services Administration with the crucial levels of protection to
safeguard their tenant federal agencies and their people. Its
personnel have full law enforcement authority to respond to
criminal incidents and emergencies. Many of their officers are
in uniform and perform traditional police services. They also
maintain a small force of plainclothes special agents to
investigate crimes occurring on federal properties.
Fish & Wildlife Service
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service plays a vital role in
safeguarding some of this nation's rich natural resources such
as fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats. Special Agents are
trained criminal investigators who enforce wildlife laws
throughout the United States. They conduct investigations which
may include activities such as surveillance, undercover work,
seizing contraband, making arrests, and preparing cases for
court. They often work with other law enforcement authorities.
Refuge law enforcement officers protect wildlife from poaching
and ensure the safety of visitors to the national wildlife
refuges.
Internal Revenue Service - Special Agent
Special Agents with the law enforcement branch of the IRS
investigate potential criminal violations of the Internal
Revenue Code and related financial crimes. Special Agents find
criminals or crimes by following the money. They are first and
foremost investigative accountants. No matter what the source,
all income earned, both legal and illegal, has the potential of
becoming involved in crimes which fall within the investigative
jurisdiction of the IRS Criminal Investigation.
Naval Criminal investigative Service
NCIS is the
primary law enforcement and counterintelligence arm of the
United States Department of the Navy. Special Agents works
closely with other local, state, federal, and foreign agencies
to counter and investigate serious crimes including terrorism,
espionage, homicide, rape and more. NCIS is the Navy's chief
source of security for the resources of America's seagoing
forces. Special agents travel the world and may even be
stationed aboard a ship. This is a civilian position that does
not require you to join the Navy.
Postal Service
Postal
Inspectors are federal law enforcement agents with investigative
jurisdiction in all criminal matters involving the integrity and
security of the U.S. Postal Service. Postal Inspectors
investigate criminal, civil, and administrative violations of
postal-related laws, often using forensics and cutting-edge
technologies. They execute search warrants, prepare
comprehensive reports and testify in court proceedings. State
Police and Local Police work with them to try to find recent
addresses of dangerous fugitives on the run from Law
Enforcement.
Secret Service
As part of the Department of Homeland Security -Secret Service
Agents are charged with two missions: protection and
investigation. They are authorized by law to protect the
President and the Vice President along with their immediate
families. They also protect former Presidents, their spouses and
children of former presidents until age 16. In addition, they
will protect visiting heads of foreign states and their spouses
traveling with them and major Presidential and Vice Presidential
candidates and their spouses. Their primary investigative
mission is to safeguard the payment and financial systems of the
United States. This includes investigating the counterfeiting of
U.S. currency, credit card fraud, stolen government checks and
crimes that involve financial institution fraud.
Secret Service - Uniformed Division
As part of the Department of Homeland Security -Uniformed
Officers provide protection for the White House Complex, the
Vice-President's residence, the Main Treasury Building and
Annex, and foreign diplomatic missions and embassies in the
Washington, DC area. Uniformed Division Officers also travel in
support of the Presidential, Vice-Presidential, and foreign
heads of state missions. They have specialized divisions such as
counter snipers and canine.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
As part of the Department of
Homeland Security-the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
(USCIS) employees are responsible for adjudicating and
processing the host of applications and forms necessary to
ensure the immigration of people and their families to the
United States, from initial stages through their transition, to
permanent residence, and finally to citizenship.
Federal Law Enforcement Training
Center (FLETC)
As part of the Department of
Homeland Security Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC)
employees develop the skills, knowledge, and professionalism of
law enforcers from 80+ Federal agencies in this unique
inter-agency training organization.