As a state on an international maritime border with major illegal trafficking routes running through it from all directions, federal law enforcement officers in Alabama have plenty of duties to keep their hands full. By land, sea, and air those serving their state and country through federal law enforcement careers in Alabama have completed a vigorous training process and fulfilled the education requirements associated with their position, while finally being hired as the most competitive candidates in their field.
Federal law enforcement jobs in Alabama are supported through seized assets and federal grants, the latter of which includes a recent State Homeland Security Program allocation of $2,801,316. Last year 27,467 federal law enforcement agents were employed across the state working in the sectors of defense and homeland security. Candidates who are interested in pursuing a career in these areas should start researching what they will need to do to become qualified now to make their application process as efficient as possible in the future.
Preparing for a Successful Career
The first step in pursuing Alabama federal law enforcement careers is to research a particular agency’s prerequisites. Having a four-year bachelor’s degree is in most cases required, and knowing the expectations about the training for federal law enforcement jobs will allow prospective officers and agents to acquire related skills while also making them a better informed job interviewee. Foundational degree programs include:
- Crime Scene Investigation
- Emergency Management
- Public Administration
- Homeland Security
- Forensic Science
- Police Science
- Public Safety
- Law
Although there is a need for all types of federal law enforcement officers in Alabama, careers that are more unique to the state include those based with the US Coast Guard due to the state’s location on the Gulf of Mexico. Also important are ICE, DEA, and ATFE Agents because of the state’s proximity to major weapons, human, and narcotic trafficking routes. As with all federal law enforcement agencies, more specialized positions may require specific four-year degrees in areas like business, computer science, or IT, among others.
Alabama Federal Law Enforcement Agencies in Action
As candidates research which Alabama federal law enforcement agency they are interested in applying with, it may be helpful to consider recent actions carried out by the various agencies operating throughout the state:
- Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officers worked with the US Coast Guard to assist passengers from the recently disabled Carnival Triumph cruise ship off the coast of Mobile. As the ship drifted CBP Officers set out by sea and air to board the cruise liner with the mission of processing the passengers through customs before they were towed shore, thereby expediting their disembarkation from the vessel. US Coast Guard Officers provided medical and evacuation backup.
- Federal officers from a wide range of agencies recently teamed up to check the compliance of 550 sex offenders in Jefferson County. After going door to door, agents arrest 139 sex offenders for non-compliance of their terms of release and cleared 194 felony and misdemeanor warrants. Participating agencies included:
- US Marshals Service Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force
- Birmingham and Hoover Police Departments
- Immigration and Customs Enforcement
- US Secret Service
- Agents based out of the DEA’s Birmingham Office recently arrested 40 suspects for their involvement in heroin trafficking in the local area, which contributed to 83 deaths in three adjoining counties last year.
- The ATFE and US Marshals, along with local law enforcement units, recently raided four member-homes of The Free Militia across the state, finding 70 improvised explosive devices, 130 grenades and a grenade launcher, an improvised rocket launcher complete with rockets, enough ammunition to fill a trailer, numerous firearms, and more than 120 marijuana plants.
Federal Agencies across Alabama
Candidates may also be interested to know the locations of federal law enforcement agencies across Alabama so they can have a better idea of where they may potentially be based. Agencies are strategically located to provide coverage to the entire state, including:
- US Coast Guard in:
- Mobile
- Dauphin Island
- Eufaula
- Montgomery
- Demopolis
- Birmingham
- FBI Birmingham Field Office at 1000 18th Street North
- DEA offices in:
- Birmingham Resident Office at 920 18th Street North
- Mobile Resident Office at 900 Western America Circle
- US Marshals offices in:
- Opelika
- Dothan
- Montgomery
- Birmingham
- Huntsville
- US Secrete Service offices in:
- Birmingham
- Mobile
- Montgomery
- ATFE offices in:
- Birmingham at 920 18th Street North
- Redstone Arsenal at 3750 Corporal Road
- Mobile at 41 West Interstate 65 Service Road North
- Montgomery at 2 North Jackson Street
- Alabama Homeland Security Office in Montgomery
- CBP ports of entry in:
- Birmingham
- Huntsville
- Mobile