Michigan is home to 13,841 defense and homeland security federal law enforcement agents who maintain a constant readiness to actively protect the state and country from threats, be they foreign or domestic. As recently highlighted by the failed underwear bomber who tried to blow up a passenger airliner about to land in Detroit, Michigan is not immune to terrorist activity. The role of federal law enforcement is particularly vital along the international maritime-land border with Canada where it is patrolled by ATVs, drones, marine interdiction units, and agents on foot.
Choosing among the different federal law enforcement positions is the first challenge prospective agents will face, while becoming qualified for these positions is the next.
Strategic Early Planning for Federal Law Enforcement Careers in Michigan
Researching the required education and training for federal law enforcement jobs in Michigan signifies a candidate who is preparing for success. Planning to make an application to one of the various federal agencies operating in the state should begin years in advance as most federal law enforcement jobs require a degree in a subject area such as:
- Public Administration
- Homeland Security
- Law Enforcement
- Emergency Management
- Crime Scene Investigations
- Criminology
- Political Science
- Law
Those are some of the most common programs from which future agents can acquire expertise, although specialized investigative officers come from academic programs ranging from business and IT to linguistics and foreign cultures.
Terrorism and Other Threats that Michigan Faces
Whenever a terrorist threat is detected in Michigan there is a predictable flurry of activity. When the underwear bomber was subdued by passengers this prompted a multifaceted response:
- Air marshals around the nation were put on high alert
- The CIA began investigating the suspect’s background and ties with Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula
- The FBI’s interrogation team gained valuable information from the suspect upon his arrest
- Homeland Security officials began a review of their operations and tactics as the underwear bomber had managed to evade security measures
Recently federal law enforcement agents became involved in an operation against the Hutaree Militia near Adrian when they discovered a plot to amass weapons and explosive devises, kill law enforcement officials, attack their funerals, and fight an apocalyptic battle against the antichrist who would be supported by the local, state and federal government. In addition to a key FBI informant, this operation involved:
- Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives (ATFE) Agents, who made a guns check that triggered the investigation
- US Marshals who assisted in the booking of the militia members
- The FBI planted an undercover agent in the militia who gathered vital evidence
- CIA agents monitored the international communications of Hutaree members
However responding to terrorist activity is only part of the role of federal law enforcement in Michigan. The 9th Coast Guard Division and Customs and Border Protection Agents regularly patrol the maritime boundary between Canada and Michigan, where drug smugglers frequently try to evade authorities, with human and weapons smugglers also posing a problem. ICE agents team up with CBP units to arrest border jumpers, and CBP and DEA agents were recently involved in a $10 million drug bust that took place at a small airport in Sandusky when a small airplane dropped approximately 300 pounds of ecstasy and over 100 pounds of marijuana.
Federal Law Enforcement Careers Throughout Michigan
Not only are federal law enforcement careers in Michigan important for the state’s security, they also have an important impact on the economy- especially in small border towns where business is stimulated by CBP stations. Federal law enforcement jobs are spread throughout strategic locations in the Michigan and include the following:
- DEA Office of Diversion Control in Detroit on 211 West Fort Street
- FBI Detroit FOB Office on the 26th floor of P.V. McNamara at 477 Michigan Avenue
- US Coast Guard:
- Detroit Command Center at 110 Mount Elliot Avenue
- Sault Saint Marie Command Center at 337 Water Street
- Homeland Security and Emergency Management Offices located across the state including:
- 7119 North Canal Road in Lansing
- G-4481 Corunna Road in Flint
- 1924 Industrial Parkway Suite A in Marquette
- ATFE Offices located across the state in cities including:
- 1155 Brewery Park Boulevard in Detroit
- 200 East Liberty Street in Ann Arbor
- 432 North Saginaw Street in Flint
- 38 West Fulton in Grand Rapids