Learn About Federal Law Enforcement Jobs

Generally, federal agents deal with specialized types of federal crimes such as trafficking, fraud or homicide.

The jobs of some federal agents such as Secret Service and Drug Enforcement agents require extensive travel. Agents may relocate a number of times over the course of their careers.There are many agencies in which you can find federal law enforcement jobs:

• Federal Bureau of Investigation
• Drug Enforcement Administration
• Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and
• Department of Homeland Security

Homeland Security encompasses Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the U.S. Secret Service, which protects the president, vice president and other government officials.

Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Agent

ATF agents enforce U.S. laws pertaining to the sale and possession of alcohol, tobacco, firearms, and increasingly, explosives. ATF agents work in federal law enforcement jobs conducting surveillance, interviewing suspects and witnesses, making arrests and raids, and collecting evidence.

Immigration & Naturalization Service (INS) Agent

INS agents, including border patrol agents, immigration inspectors, criminal investigators, detention and deportation officers, work for the U.S. Justice Department and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and maintain the security of the borders of the United States.

INS agents work in federal law enforcement to apprehend people who illegally enter the United States, detain and deport illegal immigrants, prevent products from entering the U.S. illegally, and enforce the rules and regulations regarding foreigners employed in the United States.

Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Agent

IRS agents work for the U.S. Treasury Department investigating people for tax violations, money laundering, computer fraud and illegal tax shelters. IRS agents interview witnesses and suspects, write reports for trial preparation, and participate in surveillance, undercover activities, and searches and seizures.

Secret Service Agent

The United States Secret Service is one of the most elite law enforcement organizations in the world. Secret Service agents work for the U.S. Treasury Department, and primarily protect the president and vice president of the United States and their families.

They are also responsible for protecting past presidents, foreign heads of state and official representatives of the United States. In addition, Secret Service agents investigate counterfeiting, fraud and forgery.

Applicants to the Secret Service should have either a four-year college degree or a combination of education and criminal investigative experience, be in good physical condition and have a clean criminal record. These are very prized federal law enforcement jobs, so getting a job with the Secret Service can be very competitive.

Deputy U.S. Marshal

U.S. Marshals work for the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). Deputy U.S. Marshals conduct fugitive investigations, protect U.S. courts, protect federal witnesses, seize and manage assets acquired from criminal activities, provide prisoner custody and transportation, and provide law enforcement support in national emergencies.

Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Agent

DEA special agents help maintain law and order, and conduct criminal investigations related to drug trafficking. DEA agents conduct surveillance, infiltrate drug trafficking organizations, conduct investigations and arrest violators, confiscate illegal drugs, conduct money laundering investigations, collect and prepare evidence, and testify in criminal court.

Entry-level candidates for the ATF, DEA, IRS, INS, DOJ and Secret Service must have a college degree and either one year of experience conducting criminal investigations (excluding the IRS) or one year of graduate school.

Candidates for federal law enforcement jobs must successfully complete a written, oral and medical examination, a physical-task test, a polygraph examination, and a psychological assessment. They must also possess a valid driver's license and undergo a background investigation. Finally, candidates must be at least 21 but less than 37 years of age at the time of appointment.

The federal government looks for candidates who have a college education. The following degrees are highly valued: accounting and finance, science and engineering, foreign languages or criminal justice, so you'll have an advantage if you earn your bachelor's or master's degree in one of these areas.

After you've been accepted by the agency, you'll train at the FBI academy on the U.S. Marine Corps base in Quantico, Virginia for 16 weeks.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, federal employees working in criminal investigations earned an average annual salary of $75,390 in 2009, but and the highest 10 percent earned more than $100,000.

Federal law enforcement agent salaries vary from entry-level criminal investigation positions starting at anywhere between $32,389 and $53,065, to supervisory positions starting at $68,658. However, federal law enforcement agents normally increase these base salaries with both locality pay (a supplement for working in more expensive cities) and overtime pay, which can be up to 25 percent of an agent's salary.

Some federal law enforcement jobs located abroad pay even more.

Source: secretservice.gov

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