By Tim Hardiman
As a professor in the criminal justice department at American Military University, I regularly advise my students about the vast number of career options available to them in the criminal justice field. This week, I was reminded just how many options are out there while attending the Hispanic American Police Command Officers (HAPCOA) conference in Long Beach, California.
One of the interesting things about this conference is the myriad law enforcement agencies represented here. Many of the agencies are not well known and therefore may not be considered by people seeking a career in criminal justice, so I wanted to point out a few agencies that may be off your radar:
The U.S. Department of State Bureau of Diplomatic Security “manage complex security programs that safeguard America’s interests in the U.S. and overseas.” They are assigned in more foreign countries than any other American law enforcement and security agency. Diplomatic Security agents investigate passport and visa fraud counter intelligence and other investigations. They also travel on protective security assignments. Overseas, they work on security programs to protect personnel, property, and information against terrorists, foreign intelligence agents and criminals.
The Pentagon is the largest office building in the world. It is protected by The Pentagon Force Protection Agency. This is a civilian agency charged with protecting the people and the infrastructure of the Pentagon reservation. Their training is 13-weeks long and takes place at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC). Due to the sensitive nature of their assignment, Pentagon Police Officers must be able to obtain and maintain a secret security clearance.
Due to the popular TV series, many people now know of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, but may not be aware of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI), the “eyes of the eagle.” According to the 2012 AFOSI fact book, their mission “is to identify, exploit and neutralize criminal, terrorist and intelligence threats to the Air Force, Department of Defense and U.S. Government.” They are a federal law enforcement agency. AFOSI has been in existence for more than 50 years, having become operational on August 1, 1948. It is headquartered at Quantico, Virginia and is comprised of more than 2,000 military and civilian agents who are deployed worldwide.
Many Federal agencies have an Office of Inspector General. The U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General (ED-OIG) is one such agency. “ED-OIG special agents conduct criminal investigations of suspected fraudulent activity by ED employees, contractors, grant recipients, students, teachers and schools.” They are headquartered in Washington, D.C. and have 10 field offices from California to Puerto Rico. Their agents are fully sworn federal agents with the authority to carry firearms and make arrests.
These are just a few of the low-profile agencies that offer exciting career opportunities in criminal justice. Whether you’re a student trying to decide what career path to take or a police officer considering a career transition, be sure to investigate the lesser-known agencies that play a critical role in protecting our nation and its citizens.
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