Federal law enforcement agents in Montana are used to dealing with criminals trying to smuggle drugs across the Canadian border and internal narcotic operations; more unusual was the case involving the eventual arrest of one of America’s most notorious domestic lone-wolf terrorists.
Federal officials in Montana are also proactively involved with educational campaigns and rescue operations; every year hundreds of backpackers and rafters become lost in the vast natural parks for which the state is so well known.
Federal law enforcement careers in Montana are reserved for the most qualified and educated candidates who serve as a vital link between civil order and the local-federal government team.
Choosing from a Range of Federal Law Enforcement Jobs
As candidates begin researching the minimum requirements and training procedures for federal law enforcement jobs in Montana, they will find these differ according to the position but generally do require a bachelor degree in subjects such as:
- Police Science
- Law
- Crime Scene Investigation
- Public Safety
- Public Administration
- Forensic Science
- Emergency Management
- Homeland Security
And of course more specialized positions in Montana federal law enforcement careers have their own degree requirements that can range from IT and computer science to psychology or linguistics. One of the best ways to plan for a successful career in the federal law enforcement field is to start preparing now. Job prospects continue to improve as grants are approved that encourage more inter-agency collaboration between local and federal law enforcement. In a recent three-year period Montana’s Department of Military Affairs received $19 million in federal grants to further this goal.
Recent Multi-Agency Federal Law Enforcement Ops in Montana
The range of federal law enforcement careers in Montana can perhaps best be demonstrated through concrete examples of recent actions:
- In a recent cooperative effort between the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATFE), 10 medical marijuana grow operations were raided at location across the state. At just one of these locations near Helena, agents recovered 1,680 cannabis plants estimated to produce $456,000-worth of the drug.
- Two Canadians were recently arrested at a border crossing by CBP Officer who, upon searching their vehicles discovered drug paraphernalia, hashish and marijuana. These two individuals exemplify the battle CBP Officers engage in on a daily basis to keep narcotics, weapons, and other contraband out of the state and country along Montana’s 545-mile international border.
- Border Patrol Agents in Montana recently made two rescues in a week’s span. The first was made by agents based out of Havre, who located three missing rafters with an air unit that was then able to direct ground units to their location. The second rescue was made by agents from the Shelby Border Station who located three missing juvenile rafters at 1 am with a FLIR thermal imaging camera.
- In a task force that included 150 full-time investigators from agencies including the DEA, FBI, US Postal Inspection Service, and ATFE, in cooperation with US Marshals, Air Marshals, the Secret Service, and the predecessors to TSA Agents and the Department of Homeland Security, federal law enforcement officers were able to culminate an 18-year investigation with the arrest of the notorious Unabomber near Lincoln. This lone-wolf terrorist was convicted of killing three people and wounding 23 others in a mail bomb spree lasting nearly two decades.
Federal Law Enforcement Resources and Locations
Additional information related to the requirements and training for federal law enforcement jobs in Montana can be found through agency offices including:
- DEA Billings Resident Office at 2970 King Avenue West
- ATFE office locations in:
- Billings at 2929 Third Avenue North
- Helena at 10 West 15th Street
- Missoula at 200 East Broadway
- Billings
- Helena
- Great Falls
- Missoula
- US Marshals Office with representation in:
- Montana Department of Military Affairs, coordinating the state’s Department of Homeland Security, located at 1956 Mt Majo Street in Fort Harrison
- US Secret Service Field Office in Billings
- CBP border crossing posts at 13 locations and three airports
Statewide last year there were approximately 2,425 federal homeland security and defense employees based out of locations such as these, serving the residents of Montana and providing a vital link between federal and local forces. Candidates are encouraged to research the hiring process and requirements for their desired career field early on in their academic development in order to make efficient planning decisions.