Federal Law Enforcement
Job Guide
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FEDERAL
BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
Personnel Office Department of
Justice 633 Indiana Avenue, NW Washington DC 20531 (202)
724-7725
The FBI is the law enforcement arm of the Department
of Justice. It investigates federal crimes such as bank
robbery, organized crime, civil rights violations, kidnapping,
terrorism, drug violations, and hundreds of other categories. The FBI
has 59 field offices around the country. The FBI has the
following career paths available to Special Agents:
* ACCOUNTING
- Requires a college degree with a major in accounting. All applicants
to this career path must be qualified to take the CPA
examination.
* ENGINEERING/SCIENCE - Requires at least a BS degree
in mechanical, computer science, or electrical engineering. Other
science related four-year degrees may also be accepted.
*
LANGUAGE - Requires a four-year college degree. The applicant must be
fluent in at least one foreign language as determined by the
FBI.
* LAW - Requires a law degree from an accredited law
school.
* DIVERSIFIED - Requires a Bachelor's or advanced degree in
any field of study. The applicant must have two to three years
of work experience, depending on the degree held.
Special Agents
enter the service at the GS-10 level. Supervisory positions are
available up to and including the GS-18 level.
The FBI also has
several non-agent positions available in the following
fields:
Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Cryptology,
Languages, Photography and Physics. Entry to the positions is at the
GS5-7 level. These positions require four-year degrees.
The
agency also has various clerical positions available.
Applicants
for the position of Special Agent must be at least 23 years of age but
must not have reached their 35th birthday. Applicants must be a citizen
of the United States and must be in excellent physical
condition.
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE IMMIGRATION AND
NATURALIZATION SERVICE
BORDER PATROL AGENT
Border Patrol
Agents are responsible for enforcing the immigration laws of the United
States. Agents patrol to check for illegal border crossings, operate
vehicle check points, inspect trains, ships, aircraft, etc. for
immigration violations, and perform other duties. Entry level openings
usually require duty along the border of the United States and Mexico
in Arizona, Texas, California and New Mexico.
GENERAL EXPERIENCE
(GS/5 LEVEL)
Applicants must have one year of volunteer or paid
experience comparable in difficulty to the GS/4 level. This experience
must show your ability to learn law enforcement methods, etc. One
year of college study leading to a bachelor's degree may be
substituted for three months of general experience; two years for six
months; three years for nine months; and four years for the entire year
of general experience.
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE (GS/7
LEVEL)
Applicants must have one year of law enforcement
experience equivalent to the GS/5 level. An advanced degree in law or a
law enforcement related field can be substituted for the whole year
of specialized experience.
The maximum entry age for Border
Patrol Agents is 37. Applicants may not have passed their 37th birthday
at time hired. This age limit may be extended if the applicant has
previous federal civilian law enforcement experience.
Applicants
must know or be able to learn Spanish.
Applicants must pass a
written test and a test to determine the applicant's ability to learn
Spanish. A Spanish oral test is given to those applicants who speak
Spanish. Applicants must also submit to a pre-employment physical and
interview.
A thorough background investigation will be conducted on
all applicants.
New agents ar appointed to the GS/5 or GS/7
level. Promotions to the GS/9 level are possible. Promotions to higher
grades are through "servicewide" competition.
Prospective
applicants can receive an OPM Form 5000-AB Test Scheduling Card from
any Federal Job Information Center listed under "U.S. Government" in
the telephone directory. Applicants may also call the "College Hotline"
at 1-900-990-9200. There is a per minute charge for "900" number
calls.
U.S. MARSHALS SERVICE Lincoln Place 600 Army-Navy
Drive Arlington, VA 22202 (202) 307-9400
The Marshals Service
is also an arm of the Department of Justice. The Service provides
security in federal courts, serves federal court orders, apprehends and
transports federal prisoners, administers the Witness Security Program,
and other duties. The beginning position is the Deputy U.S. Marshal at
the GS 5/7 level. This position requires a Bachelor's
degree.
DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Personnel Staffing
Specialist Personnel Division, Rm 1215 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco
and Firearms 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Washington, DC
20226 (202) 566-7321
The ATF enforces all federal laws relating
to alcohol, tobacco and firearms, including explosives and arson. The
ATF also inspects breweries, wineries, explosives plants and other
related industries. Entry is at the GS 5/7 level and requires
a Bachelor's degree.
DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY U.S.
CUSTOMS SERVICE 1301 Constitution Ave., NW Washington, DC
20229
Office of Human Resources 2120 L Street, Room
7402 Washington, DC 20229 (202) 634-5025
This agency controls
the entry of merchandise into this country. It investigates fraudulent
crimes and activities that defraud the U.S. Government of revenue. It
investigates the illegal importing and exporting of drugs, currency,
arms and the exporting of technology. Applicants to this agency are
subjected to a thorough background investigation. Entry is at the GS
5/7 level and requires a Bachelor's degree.
DEPARTMENT OF
THE TREASURY SECRET SERVICE Chief of Staffing 1800 G Street,
NW Washington, DC 20223 (202) 535-5800
The Secret Service is
charged with protecting the President, Vice President, former
presidents, visiting heads of foreign countries, and their families.
The Secret Service also enforces all laws concerning counterfeiting and
forgery of government checks and other related criminal activities. The
Service is also responsible for White House security. Entry is at the
GS 5/7 level and requires a Bachelor's degree.
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