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.

Arrest of 13 Suspected Members of Turkey Drug Trafficking Group

A former supervisory special agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in Virginia, Brian Shanahan spent more than 20 years investigating drug trafficking operations, arresting suspects, interviewing witnesses, and seizing assets. Known for being a dedicated professional, Brian Shanahan handled domestic and international cases for the DEA and spent some time in Turkey as a case agent for the organization.

In March 2020, authorities from Europe announced that they had arrested 13 individuals who are believed to be part of a drug trafficking group based in Turkey. These arrests were made after authorities from several European countries investigated the group for 2 years. According to Europol, two high-value targets were included among the 13 arrested individuals, and those arrested were captured in Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Turkey.

Along with the individual arrests, European authorities also seized 2.4 tons of heroin. It is believed that the group planned on shipping the drugs to Europe in construction materials or food containers that would be put either on trucks or cargo ships. The drugs most likely originated from the Middle East, based on reports, and were headed to the Netherlands. Cocaine, likely from Latin America, was also seized in the operation.

Safely Storing a Sports Card Collection

Passionate government agent Brian Shanahan served as a supervisory special agent for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) under the United States Department of Justice. Outside of his work investigating money laundering and drug trafficking operations around the world, former DEA agent Brian Shanahan is fond of collecting sports cards.

In the past, sports cards were rarely protected. Children would often place the cards in the wheels of their bikes, or adults would store their amateur collections in shoeboxes. Recently, collecting sports cards has become much more serious, and the cards themselves need special storage and care to keep them from losing their value.

One of the most common ways sports cards get ruined is through UV light. Exposure to UV light irreversibly damages sports cards, thus making them more brittle and faded. The worst sort of UV damage occurs when cards are exposed to direct sunlight, but even ambient sunlight is capable of causing damage. For this reason, sports cards must always be kept either in a storage container that filters out sunlight or in an area with no sunlight.

In situations where cards are stored out of the light, they must still be stored properly to avoid long-term damage. Plastic sleeves, or penny sleeves, are the most inexpensive way to store each individual sports card. They aren’t as protective as toploaders, plastic holders, and plastic cases, but they are better than having nothing at all protecting the card. However, plastic sleeves are flexible, so they won’t prevent cards from getting bent like a rigid toploader or screw-down holder will.

These individually protected cards can subsequently be placed in a binder or storage box to add further protection. Binders are ideal for collectors seeking something that is easily accessible and allows them to show off their large collections on a regular basis. Meanwhile, storage boxes still make retrieval easy, but are often best for collectors who plan on showing only a few cards off every once in a while.

New Platforms to Entertain Audiences at the Movies

Former DEA supervising agent Brian Shanahan spent 20 years working with the US Department of Justice before retiring recently. Retired DEA agent Brian Shanahan enjoys going to the movies. For today’s movie enthusiasts, the platform from which movies are watched has shifted from solely the theater to other mediums.

In recent years, diversity in film has come to the forefront. Not only are people from all races represented in film and in a variety of roles, but this diversity lends itself to exposing audiences to films internationally. Much of the movement has been facilitated through the ubiquity of the online world, where anyone with a camera, creativity, and a great team of professionals can create interesting content.

One of the major shifts is the one that moves film making from a national platform to a more globalized one. Netflix and Amazon spent $ 20 billion on content with social media giant Facebook and Apple working on their own version of this platform. While this movement is primarily online, those who are die hard, old school filmmakers will find that the UK is becoming a hot spot for driving the industry.

Filmmakers are also moving toward a trend of making more emotional films to engage viewers. These films aim to establish an intimacy with the viewer and engage the viewer by employing a few tactics, for example allowing them to take ownership of the film by presenting multiple endings.

Finally, 2020 will see virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality become a part of the film making platform. In fact, this platform is expected to grow to close $30 billion this year. VR and augmented film making intensify the viewer experience by placing them in the story through auditory and visual-auditory cues.