Criminal Justice Jobs – Law Enforcement – Narcotics Officer

Narcotics Officer Job Description

As the name suggests, working as a narcotics officer you will be dealing with narcotics related crimes and criminal activity and usually will be working on a federal level. The most common crimes will be drug trafficking and possession (with intent to supply).

The job of the Narc is more closely related to the roles portrayed in some movies as you may find yourself working undercover infiltrating a criminal organization and making use of wires, phone taps and high tech surveillance. You will also be required to take part in high risk raids and apprehend dangerous suspects.

As you can imagine, this job can at times be extremely dangerous so it is not for the faint hearted.

Narcotics Officer Officer Educational Requirements

Most agencies will require a Bachelors degree in criminal justice and you will have to first be employed as a regular police officer before being considered for promotion to this department. There will also be intensive agency training programs leading up to your promotion as this job will take a lot of preparation and training.

Narcotics Officer Patrol Officer Salary

Narcotics officers can expect to earn anywhere from $70k – $100k depending on department and experience.

Narcotics Officer Officer Career Prospects

Since narcotics officer generally work at federal and state level, there will be many career opportunities for you working in this role. There are many different areas and federal agencies for you to consider such as other FBI and DEA roles and also more senior positions.