According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, Census of Federal Law Enforcement Officers, there were a total of 8,639 federal law enforcement officers in the State of New York in 2008. The majority of these federal law enforcement professionals (3,746) were in inspections and noncriminal investigation, followed by security and protection (2,271), police response and patrol (1,045), and corrections and detention (770).
Federal Law Enforcement Education and Training in New York
Federal law enforcement jobs often begin with a college degree program, as many federal law enforcement agencies demand, at a minimum, a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. Careers in the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), for example, often demand a bachelor, LLB or JD degree, while officer and special agent jobs within Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) typically require a bachelor’s degree.
Further, training is an essential component of federal law enforcement careers, and the majority of training is completed through the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC), with the exception of training through the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which takes place at the FBI training facilities in Quantico, Virginia.
The closest FLETC training facility for federal law enforcement employees in New York is located in Cheltenham, Maryland. Facilities of the 400-acre Cheltenham facility include an indoor firing range, driver training ranges, multi-purpose classrooms, computer laboratories, and firearms simulators. The principle function of the Cheltenham Center is firearms, vehicles operations, and requalification and continued professional training.
Careers in Federal Law Enforcement in New York
The U.S Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York, which represents the interests of the U.S. government and its agencies in both civil and criminal matters through investigation and prosecution. According to this agency, some of the largest areas of focus for federal law enforcement in the state, include:
- Terrorism
- White collar crimes
- Cyber crimes
- Mortgage fraud
- Public corruption
- Gang violence
- Organized crime
- International narcotics trafficking
- Civil rights violations
The U.S. Attorney’s Office, Criminal Division, in New York State therefore includes the following units:
Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit
The Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit works with local, state, national and international law enforcement agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force
The Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force, which investigates and prosecutes crime related to the nation’s securities and commodities markets, works in close coordination with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Public Corruption Unit
The Public Corruption Unit works with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New York City Department of Investigation to maintain the integrity of all levels of government.
Organized Crime Unit
The Organized Crime Unit investigates and prosecutes crimes committed by a large number of organized crime rings, both in the United States and throughout Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, among others.
Narcotics
The Narcotics Unit works along a number of federal law enforcement agencies, including the DEA, the FBI, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, among others.
Federal Law Enforcement Offices in New York
There are a multitude of federal law enforcement agency offices in the State of New York:
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
- Brooklyn
- Bronx
- New York City
- Albany
- Buffalo
- Long Island
- Rochester
- Syracuse
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
- Brooklyn-Queens
- Hudson Valley
- JFK International Airport
- Long Island
- White Plains
United States Secret Service
- Albany
- Buffalo
- JFK International Airport
- Melville
- New York City
- Rochester
- Syracuse
- White Plains
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
- New York City
- Albany
- Buffalo
- Long Island
- Plattsburg
- Rochester
- Syracuse
- Westchester
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
- Albany
- Alexandria Bay
- Binghamton
- Buffalo
- Champlain
- JFK International Airport
- Massena
- Ogdensburg
- Rochester
- Syracuse
- Trout River
United States Marshals
- Northern District, Syracuse
- Eastern District, Brooklyn
- Southern District, New York
- Western District, Buffalo
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations
- Williamsville
- New York City
United States Coast Guard
- Albany
- Babylon
- Buffalo
- Cheektowaga
- East Moriches
- Freeport
- Hampton Bays
- Kings Point
- Massena
- Montauk
- New York/Brooklyn
- Northport
- Oswego
- Rochester
- Sackets Harbor
- Saugerties
- Sodus Point
- Staten Island
- Syracuse
- Wantagh
- Wellesley Island
- Youngstown