Organized crime operations taking place within a few miles of the nation’s capitol and the White House is a serious matter, especially when it involves illegal firearms. ATF Agents have good reason to be actively engaged in pursuing the criminals who partake in such crimes.
In November of 2011 a deranged young man fired an estimated 12 shots from an AK-47-style semi-automatic assault rifle at the White House, striking it at least eight times before fleeing the scene only to be apprehended five days later. Last year the ATF recovered 111 long-range rifles among the 1,419 firearms taken off the streets of Washington that year.
Working out of their district office on 1401 H. Street, ATF Agents are highly qualified individuals who employ a variety of methods to get the job done- even recently placing an undercover agent in jail as part of a witness tampering investigation.
Education Requirements to Become an ATF Agent
ATF careers in the District of Columbia are the domain of highly competent agents who have met the high employment standards of the Bureau, then completed the rigorous ATF training program. Preliminary requirements for ATF jobs include meeting one of the following education or experience requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree
- Three years of experience with progressively increasing responsibility in the fields of criminal investigations and law enforcement
- A combination of education and experience
Prospective agents in Washington, DC can qualify for ATF careers by meeting the education requirement with a bachelor’s degree in:
- Psychology
- Crime Scene Investigation
- Law Enforcement
- Police Science
- Sociology
- Political Science
- Criminal Justice
Other ATF Agent requirements stipulate that candidates should:
- Be able to obtain a top secret security clearance
- Be between the ages of 21-36, with some exceptions for federal police and veterans
- Be a US citizen
- Be height and weight proportionate
- Complete the following:
- ATF Pre-Employment Physical Task Test
- ATF Special Agent Application Questionnaire
- ATF Special Agent Exam
- ATF Special Agent Applicant Assessment Test
Prospective agents may also sign up with the ATF to be notified by email of job openings.
Agents newly assigned to the nation’s capital must first complete the basic training for their ATF careers, which will include 27-weeks split between the Criminal Investigators Training Program in Glynco, Georgia and a Special Agent Basic Training course.
ATF Headquarters in Washington, DC
Washington, DC is vital to the operations of the ATF nationwide, as it is the location of the ATF Headquarters.
The ATF Headquarters in DC is located on 99 New York Avenue and includes the following offices:
- Enforcement Programs and Services
- Human Resources
- Field Operations
- Public and Governmental Affairs
- Professional Responsibility and Security Operations
- Strategic Planning
- Strategic Intelligence and Information
- Science and Technology
- Training and Professional Development