AAUW Awards Record Amount to Women

Brian Shanahan is a retired Supervisory Special Agent for the United States Department of Justice’s Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). A supporter of women’s empowerment, former DEA agent Brian Shanahan attended a 2019 breakfast event hosted by the American Association of University Women (AAUW). He is a staunch proponent of the organization, which has been empowering women since 1881.

In addition to its educational, advocacy, and economic security support, the AAUW awards grants and fellowships to scholars. For the 2021-22 academic year, the organization awarded an unprecedented $5 million in grants and fellowships to 260 female scholars. This was I addition to $115 million in awards provided to 13,000 women since the program started in 1888. Astronaut Judith Resnik and historian Keisha Blain are some of the past recipients of AAUW awards.

These grants support the cost of professional and educational opportunities for girls and women around the world. This includes expenses related to traditional academic study, along with other related expenses, like transportation and childcare costs. AAUW grants reduce or eliminate the debt that women would otherwise accrue when pursuing these educational opportunities, a burden that disproportionately affects women and particularly women of color.

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Justice Department Grants $187 Million to Support Community Safety

An alumnus of Northeastern University, former Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent Brian Shanahan worked as a Case Agent and Supervisory Special Agent for two decades with the United States Department of Justice, DEA. Prior to being employed by the DEA, Brian Shanahan worked as a New York State Court Officer and other supervisory positions in the New York State Court System.

On September 24, 2021, the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), which is part of the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) announced it has granted approximately $187 million in awards from BJA’s Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program to assist state, local, and tribal public safety and community justice initiatives. All 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, and the territories of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, and Guam will benefit from these grants and reinforce the Justice Department’s commitment to America’s communities. The BJA added they will be distributing more than 900 additional awards, totaling almost $85 million, under its local JAG program in the coming weeks.

The JAG program is the most important source of federal financing for state and local government public safety and criminal justice agencies. It provides vital financing to states, tribes, and local governments to support law enforcement, public defenders, prosecutors, community corrections agencies, and courts. Crime prevention and education efforts, drug treatment and enforcement operations, technological advances, and mental health programs are all supported by JAG funds.

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New York State Civil Service Examinations

Retired Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Agent Brian Shanahan worked with the DEA for 11 years as a case agent before being promoted to work as a Supervisory Special Agent, a position in which he served until his retirement in 2018. Before joining the DEA, Brian Shanahan passed the New York State Court Officers Civil Service examination, and worked for the New York State Office of Court Administration following his graduation from the New York State Court Officers Academy. While employed by New York State, Brian Shanahan passed three promotional Civil Service examinations, resulting in three promotions.

New York State Civil Service examinations are designed to assess the knowledge and abilities needed to perform well in particular Civil Service positions.. Civil Service examinations are administered through In-person exams, and computers in timed, multiple-choice tests. Candidates who pass a New York State Civil Service examinations are added to a list of candidates who are eligible for a range of job titles. From this pool of qualified individuals, the highest to lowest passing examination score is the sequence in which positions are filled.

Aspiring candidates must register for an account on the New York State or local government websites, read the job posting, and apply to take an exam. A single examination can often cover many job announcements, allowing candidates to apply for multiple jobs with a single examination result.

There are a number of Civil Service examinations that are conducted throughout New York State. There is no specific Civil Service examination format. Instead, the abilities, knowledge, and experience necessary for the particular position determines the examination questions.

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U.S. Justice Department Files Case to Halt Fraudulent Transaction

A retired Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent, Brian Shanahan spent eight years with the New York State Office of Court Administration, where he worked in a variety of capacities. During his two decades tenure as a drug enforcement agent, Brian Shanahan had a long list of accomplishments such as overseeing investigations into domestic and international drug trafficking and money laundering organizations before retiring as a Supervisory Special Agent with the United States Department of Justice.

A U.S. citizen living in Ukraine was charged by the Justice Department on September 1, 2021, for his alleged involvement in a bank fraud operation. According to the civil complaint, the defendants made unlawful debit transactions against the bank accounts of unwary customers in the name of fictitious corporate companies. To disguise the fraudulent nature of these transactions from customers and banks, defendants reportedly created phony websites for the sham corporate organizations, a “customer care” contact center, and a fake customer authorization for services.

The defendants allegedly utilized thousands of phony “microtransactions” to avoid chargebacks on their unlawful debits, according to the lawsuit. The defendants were barred from conducting unlawful debits from customers’ bank accounts and from utilizing microtransactions to mask chargebacks, according to the temporary restraining order issued by the government. The government also had a receiver appointed to prevent defendants from dissipating assets gained via the fraud scheme.

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The Dominican Republic as a Drug Trafficking Route

Brian Shanahan has many interests, some of which are traveling, sport card collecting, concerts, and movies. When working with the DEA, Brian Shanahan served in several capacities, including the position of Supervisory Special Agent (Group Supervisor) for a New York Division Enforcement Group. Here, he oversaw eleven Special Agents and regularly directed law enforcement activities targeting drug trafficking organizations operating in the Dominican Republic.

The Caribbean presented a suitable option for drug trafficking organizations after the American government clamped down on Colombian cartels’ drug trafficking operations and routes in the 1980s.. Countries like the Dominican Republic started being used to ship drugs into the United States..

Cocaine destined for the United States is increasingly being sent from Colombia to the Dominican Republic through Venezuela. Additionally, when other ports in the Caribbean Islands are carefully being watched, the Dominican Republic is often used in an attempt to avoid law enforcement. The attention of American law enforcement officials was initially focused on the people coming directly from Venezuela, Suriname, or Aruba. Hence, transporting the drugs through the Dominican Republic reduced the chances of getting apprehended. The country has also been used to traffic drugs to parts of Europe, such as Spain.

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How Phi Kappa Phi Supports Academic and Career Development

Brian Shanahan worked as a New York State Court Officer and other supervisory positions for eight years in the New York State Courts, after which he served for 20 years with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).. While at Northeastern University, Brian Shanahan was inducted into the honor society of Phi Kappa Phi.

Phi Kappa Phi was established in 1897 to recognize and encourage superior scholarship without restriction as to area of study and to promote the “unity and democracy of education. It is the fourth academic society in the United States to be organized around recognizing academic excellence, and the oldest all-discipline honor society. Phi Kappa Phi initiates about 30,000 members every year in more than 325 campuses in America, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines. Since its establishment, Phi Kappa Phi awards has annually awarded up to $1 million to its members, chapters, and institutions. Most of this money goes to academic advancement and helping members in their academic endeavors.

The honor society offers $1,000 grants to 75 of its undergraduate members who are studying abroad. Phi Kappa Phi also offers $100,000 every two years to colleges and universities that have found innovative answers to global problems in any field. Towards graduate research, Phi Kappa Phi provides grants of up to $1,500 to members who are in graduate school to support their career development.

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Drug Trafficking in the Caribbean

Former Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) special agent Brian Shanahan has worked in various governmental positions for over 30 years. Originally serving with the New York State Office of Court Administration, he investigated international and domestic drug trafficking operations with the DEA. Brian Shanahan was also involved in several drug agreements between different countries, including the United States and the Caribbean.

Since the Caribbean is so close to the United States, the islands are extremely vulnerable to drug trafficking. In fact, this used to be a major problem for the region. Around the 1970s and 80s, the Caribbean region, which comprises some 31 islands and countries, was the primary transit route for cocaine. Much of this cocaine came from Central America, specifically Colombia at the time. It was estimated that the Caribbean transmitted roughly 10 percent of all cocaine bound for the United States during this high-trafficking time.

In recent years, cocaine movement through the Caribbean has dropped. Unfortunately, it hasn’t stopped. While there was a drop in the amount of cocaine imports from the Caribbean in 2011 and 2012, there was a significant jump of around 10 percent in 2012. Certain islands in the Caribbean still serve as major transit locations for cocaine, such as the Bahamas. Alongside this, Jamaican cannabis has also become widely popular among drug traffickers.

Responsibilities of DEA Special Agents

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), founded by President Richard Nixon in 1973, is a federal law enforcement agency that carries out drug-related investigations and prosecutions. In addition to disrupting the cross-border trafficking of illegal drugs, the DEA works to dismantle drug operations in the United States. DEA actions are led by special agents whose responsibilities include collecting evidence, arresting suspects, and working alongside domestic and foreign officials.

Often working in teams, special agents must be comfortable in dangerous conditions because they can find themselves up against armed criminals or in undercover investigations. Under these circumstances, agents must exhibit courage and calmness under pressure.

Agents’ tasks and responsibilities vary daily, but the majority of their work involves surveillance, drug seizures, witness interviews, and the writing of investigation reports. Research and administrative roles in office environments are available to agents as they progress in their careers.

Because of the demands on special agents, the candidates must meet a range of physical, educational, and mental requirements. The hiring process for a single agent can take longer than a year. This includes a thorough qualifications review, panel interview, physical task assessment, and drug test and medical examination. Candidates also must undergo a polygraph examination and psychological assessment before the final hiring decision.

To apply, individuals must be U.S. citizens between 21 and 36 years old. They must be willing to relocate if necessary and comfortable carrying and handling firearms. They must have sharp vision and hearing acuity, high-functioning limbs, and manual dexterity with free motion of all joints and digits. Agents also must be in good enough physical condition to perform the physically demanding tasks the job requires. These physical requirements are explained in detail in the DEA Training Academy’s 51-page Physical Training & Conditioning Manual.

Prospective agents must hold a bachelor’s degree and have a GPA of at least 2.95. While all undergraduate degrees are considered, many aspiring agents opt to take DEA-adjacent subjects, such as homeland security, public safety, or criminal justice.

Individuals who do not meet the 2.95 GPA requirement can apply after they accumulate at least three years of work experience in fields such as the military, engineering, mechanics, or IT systems. Candidates without a bachelor’s degree can apply as long as they have in-field criminal justice experience. In addition to the aforementioned requirements, prospective agents must show competency in the following areas: attention to detail, interpersonal skills, teamwork, flexibility, self-management, problem solving, decision-making, written and oral communication, and integrity and honesty.

Those who meet the aforementioned criteria can contact their local DEA Recruitment Office, where they will be put in touch with a special agent recruitment coordinator.

Individuals who aspire to work in the DEA but do not meet all of the requirements for a special agent can pursue other roles in the agency. Other positions include diversion investigator, intelligence research specialist, forensic scientist, and professional and administrative support staff. The DEA also offers student and entry-level positions to candidates who comply with its drug policy and meet its employment requirements.