Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Top-Priority Federal Law Enforcement Jobs

Career Center - by Carie Bishop

In the post-911 millennium, the American notion of law enforcement has taken on fresh meaning, and the career marketplace has witnessed increased hiring associated under the umbrella of Homeland Security. To match the need for highly trained law enforcement personnel to fill these new roles, colleges and trade schools have broadened their curriculum.

Whether training students in intelligence gathering and security procedures, or offering coursework in IT security, computer forensics, and criminal investigation, online colleges serve up a wide range of undergraduate and graduate degree programs designed to ready graduates for the ever-expanding law enforcement workplace.

Here are several key federal law enforcement agencies that are now organized under the Department of Homeland Security-and the jobs that lend backbone to the latest security measures:

Customs and Border Protection
Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) is directly responsible for performing physical checks of vehicles, travelers, and their cargo. They are especially interested in recruiting Spanish-speaking applicants. Jobs are advertised for border patrol, air and marine surveillance, agriculture specialists, intelligence research specialists, and import specialists.

Federal Air Marshals
The Federal Air Marshal Service (FMS) provides the front line in protecting the civil aviation industry. It currently is recruiting applicants for work as armed security officers, in canine explosive detection teams, as federal air marshals, and federal flight deck officers.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement
The Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is separate from the CPB. Jobs are organized around duties including Detention and Removal Operations (for illegal aliens), Federal Protective Service (investigating threats at 8,800 federal agencies), and The Offices of Intelligence and Investigations (cybercrime, smuggling, fraud, weapons and narcotics).

U.S. Secret Service
Organized under the Department of the Treasury and now in direct concert with the Department of Homeland Security, uniformed and special agents of the U.S. Secret Service protect the members of the Executive Branch, visiting dignitaries, and other public officials. They also investigate fraud, counterfeiting, forgery, and credit card crimes. The agency is currently offering bonuses to successful applicants who meet foreign language requirements.