Serving from two office locations in Portland and Bangor, US Marshals in Maine provide an essential layer of protection for the federal judicial system and local law enforcement agencies dealing with armed and violent criminals. Working independently or through partnerships with local agencies, Maine’s US Marshals are often key to the state’s most high profile busts, which last year included:
- 25 murders and cases of manslaughter
- 423 robberies
- 372 rapes
- 811 aggravated assaults
Preparing for employment as a qualified candidate can take time, and begins with an educational foundation.
Education Requirements to Become a US Marshal in Maine
There are several ways applicants can meet the education and experience standards for US marshals jobs at the GL-07 level, the federal entry rank for new US Marshals:
- Having a bachelor degree in any field with a good academic history
OR
- Having a combination of qualifying experience and education
OR
- Having one year of master-level studies in a field related to:
- Crime Scene Investigation
- Criminology
- Forensic Science
- Law Enforcement
- Criminal Justice
- Sociology
A year of qualifying experience may be substituted for education, and includes specialized work in the fields of law enforcement and criminal investigations.
The Application and Training Process
An important thing candidates can do before they even apply is begin to get in shape. After a successful application new marshals will need to complete an initial physical ability test before they begin training, and graduation from the training academy is contingent on male and female recruits passing an additional physical ability test.
Making the actual application for US Marshal jobs can be done online. The applicant should also be prepared to undergo an extensive background investigation and an in-depth interview, as well as a medical exam. The federal government’s personnel office maintains the application and US Marshal job description on its USA Jobs site. All applicants must additionally meet these minimum qualifications:
- Be a US citizen
- Be between the ages of 21-36, with special consideration taken for veterans and federal officers
- Have a valid driver’s license
The Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Georgia is the site of the 17.5-week US Marshal Service Basic Training Academy. At this expansive live-in training facility new recruits will gain the requisite skills and knowledge to adequately prepare them for their first assignment. Training requirements include passing seven proficiency tests in areas related to the instruction provided, which covers topics like:
- Evasive, defensive, and offensive driving techniques
- Protective service training
- Surveillance and computer training
- Firearms training
- High threat trials
- Physical conditioning
Duties of a US Marshal in Maine
Many of the actions taken by US Marshals in Maine are in concert with the New Hampshire Joint Fugitive Task Force. This cooperative effort has resulted in several recent high-profile busts:
- The arrest of a man with a warrant for parole violations, but who was also the main suspect for burglaries committed in the Lebanon area where several firearms were stolen. In this case US Marshals turned to the media for help cracking the case. After several bulletins were aired, public tips pointed law enforcement in the right direction.
- The arrest of an Acton man for failing to appear in court to face charges of check forgery. Marshals assisted in this case because the fugitive’s location was unknown and he had a previous criminal record.
- The arrest of a man wanted in connection with violations of his supervised release agreement established by the US District Court in Portland. Originally the man was sentenced as being a felon in possession of a firearm, and the task force became involved with his capture because of the potential he was armed and dangerous. Besides the US Marshal-NH Joint Fugitive Task Force, this operation also involved:
- Maine Violent Offenders Task Force
- Eliot Police Department
- Biddeford Police Department
- Somersworth Police Department
- Maine State Police
- Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office