The Pathway to Become a DEA Special Agent

Spoon of drugs Photo by Michael Longmire on Unsplash

Multi-awarded DEA supervisory special agent Brian Shanahan retired from the service in 2018 after serving the agency for more than 20 years. Throughout his career with the DEA, Brian Shanahan received numerous performance awards and commendations for his dedication to his profession. As a special agent, he has successfully infiltrated and dismantled over 30 drug organizations, arrested more than 275 individuals, and seized large volumes of illegal drugs and narcotics.

A DEA special agent belongs to an elite group of law enforcers tasked to fight the illegal drug trade. Special agents monitor drug trafficking and coordinate with other law enforcement agencies in building a cohesive and strong case that lead to prosecution and arrest of drug traffickers. DEA agents also collaborate with counterpart agencies in other countries to stop the flow of illegal drugs in and out of the country’s borders and to arrest international criminals.

To be selected as a DEA special agent, a candidate must have earned a bachelor’s degree in any field of study with a GPA of 2.95. Candidates with a degree in criminal justice are preferred, although not required. Those who have masters or Juris Doctor degrees have an advantage. Other areas of expertise that may be considered for a DEA special agent job include accounting, engineering, information systems, foreign language, and telecommunications. In these areas, no minimum GPA is required.

In addition to education, a candidate must be a US citizen between 21 and 36 years old. He or she must be in excellent physical condition, must be able to travel anywhere in the US, and must be able to carry and handle firearms. Physical requirements include excellent vision, no hearing loss, manual dexterity, and mental and emotional stability.

The rigorous hiring process takes up to 12 months or even more. The candidates go through qualifications review, written test, panel interview, drug test, medical exam, physical task assessment, polygraph test, psychological assessment, and background investigation before the final hiring decisions are made.

The Sources of Abused Substances

Substance Photo by Prem Pal Singh from Pexels

A former supervisory special agent of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Brian Shanahan worked with the agency for 20 years and was part of numerous investigations into domestic and international drug trafficking and money laundering. Brian Shanahan’s role in dismantling criminal organizations consistently earned him outstanding evaluations and resulted in several awards and commendations for his service in the DEA.The DEA has many different divisions aimed at curtailing drug abuse in all its forms. One is the Diversion Control Division, which investigates and prevents the diversion of controlled pharmaceuticals and legitimately sourced chemicals to ensure a continued supply for medical and commercial needs.

Contrary to popular belief, the most abused substances are prescription drugs and legitimately manufactured drugs. When these get diverted from lawful purposes, they enter the illegal trade market, and the DEA is forced to intervene. The Diversion Control Division also offers many programs to help institutions and organizations control the illicit drug trade.

Highlights of the 2019 AAUW Rockland County Diversity Breakfast

Women
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

Brian Shanahan served as a supervisory special agent with the United States Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). A retired DEA special agent, Brian Shanahan attended the 2019 American Association of University Women (AAUW) Rockland County Diversity Breakfast.

AAUW is a nonprofit organization that promotes equity for women through education, advocacy, and research. The association celebrated its 20th anniversary at the annual Diversity Breakfast on February 23, 2019, at the Pearl River Elks Club in New York. With the theme, “Empowering Women in Diverse Communities in the Age of ‘Me Too,’” the event featured guest speakers Michelle Grier and Emily Waters, who belong to Girls for Gender Equity. They discussed the various ways to acknowledge and support women regardless of how they identify themselves on the gender spectrum.

At the breakfast, AAUW honored Joyce Brown, Ellen Jaffe, and Maureen McGarry, who are role models in community service, legislative leadership, and justice administration, respectively. More than 100 professionals attended the event.

BRIDGES’ Independent Living Services for People with Disabilities

Disabled man Photo by Josh Appel on Unsplash

For two decades, Brian Shanahan worked for the United States Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), where he investigated local and international drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. Since retiring from the DEA, Brian Shanahan has remained active in his community by supporting worthy causes, including the 2019 BRIDGES “In My Shoes” Awards Dinner.

BRIDGES, a nonprofit organization founded in 1987, is part of the Rockland Independent Living Center. Among its many programs, BRIDGES offers independent living services to help individuals with disabilities make autonomous decisions on living their lives.

BRIDGES has partnered with counselors from the New York State Education Department to give individuals access to services for work readiness, benefits advisement, mobility training, youth employment, and job placement. BRIDGES also collaborates with the Westchester Independent Living Center to help individuals take advantage of different home- and community-based services.

Additionally, individuals with disabilities are given the unique opportunity to expand their emotional and physical boundaries by training to ride a horse at Silver Rock Farm. To learn more about BRIDGES’ programs and services, visit www.bridgesrc.org.