Criminal Justice Jobs – Law Enforcement – DEA Agent
DEA Agent Job Description
DEA stands for drug enforcement agent and this elite group of individuals are among the most highly regarded law enforcement teams in the world. There is a wide mix of experience in the DEA with the majority of agents having previously worked and proved themselves in other criminal justice jobs. There are also a number of ex military personnel that now work in the DEA.
As a DEA agent you will be fighting the war on drugs and your work activity will be varied and at times extremely dangerous. Your job is to tackle the narcotics supply at source before it gets to the end user. You may find yourself working undercover to investigate drug trafficking suspects or go undercover overseas to investigate drugs being imported into the USA.
You can expect to be investigating suspects, investigating finances of suspects and organisations, taking part in raids and arrests, filing detailed reports, attending court hearings and also performing research and investigative work from a desk based position at times too.
DEA Agent Educational Requirements
You must be younger than 37 years old at the time of your application and you will need a Bachelors degree as a minimum with a high grade (GPA 2.95+). They will also be looking for high achievement in all other areas of education and experience.
Previous military and law enforcement experience will more than likely be required. The application will involve many steps which includes:
- Qualifications Review
- Written and Oral Assessment
- Urine Analysis
- Medical
- Physical
- Polygraph Exam
- Psychological Assessment
- Background Check
Once you are selected you will undergo an intensive 16 week training program to prepare you for the job.
DEA Agent Salary
Starting salaries for DEA agents are around $50k but this will rise with experience and you have the potential to earn over $100k after about 4 years of experience.
DEA Agent Career Prospects
A career as a DEA agent will see you travelling and working across many areas which will give you a very unique and desirable level of experience that can be transferred to a wide variety of occupations. You could also look to move into more supervisory roles if ever you want to progress from being an agent.
