There are a total of sixty federal law agencies and twenty-seven inspector general offices inside the U.S that employ full-time employees authorized to carry firearms and make arrests.
In fact, according to a Bureau of Justice Statistics report, there were over 15,000 full-time law enforcement personal being employed by agencies such as the U.S Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, the FBI, The Federal Bureau of Prisons, and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency.
Typically, individuals employed by these law agencies have duties that range from criminal investigation and enforcement, court operations, corrections, security and protection, and police response and patrol.
Understanding the various law enforcement agencies present in the U.S. will allow you to know who to call when you require help. Or, better yet, maybe you want to apply for a career in law enforcement yourself. Who knows, right!?
Whatever the case may be, the U.S. has the most law enforcement agencies than any other country in the world.
Today, we will only look at the ones considered the most powerful on the federal level. With that in mind, let us look at a few of these law enforcement agencies down below.
The DHS( Department of Homeland Security)
The DHS is at the third spot of U.S. government departments that employ the largest workforce, with 229,000 employees.
You might be wondering, what’s homeland security is about anyways? Under the leadership of the secretary of state, the Department of Homeland Security(DHS) is responsible for responding to disasters, preventing nuclear and biological threats, cybersecurity efforts, protection of infrastructure, protection of U.S. leaders, administration or enforcement of immigration laws, and much more.
In simple words, homeland security, as the name suggests, is all about protecting the homeland.
Typically the department of homeland security will collaborate with other law agencies in the U.S. However, individuals looking for a career in the DHS need to obtain a master’s of art in homeland security to increase their chances of employment.
While working for the DHS, you can serve in various capacities, including intelligence and analysis, federal emergency management, law enforcement, etc.
The DEA( Drug Enforcement Agency)
The DEA’s role is to consolidate and coordinate drug control efforts on the federal level. The DEA was created back in 1972 because of the 1960s and 70 drug trade that led to countless Americans becoming addicted to drugs and other illicit substances of that era.
Hence the DEA was created to battle drug use and smuggling with the U.S.
The DEA was formed after consolidating various federal agencies of that era, such as the Office of Drug Abuse Law Enforcement and the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. Currently, the DEA is the leading agency that enforces the Controlled Substances Act in America.
Furthermore, it is also responsible for conducting and coordinating drug busts and investigations both on home turf and internationally.
The USMS (U.S. Marshals Service)
Signed into law by President George Washington and developed under the Judiciary Act of the First Congress, the USMS (United States Marshalls Service) was created back in the year 1789. Yes, you read that correctly!
It is one of the oldest law enforcement agencies in existence right now. When it was created, the USMS’s role was to execute all warrants issued by U.S. federal courts.
These days, the USMS operates under the jurisdiction of the Department of Justice(DOJ). That said, the USMS has a few critical functions in the United States, including fugitive recovery operations, protecting officers of the U.S. courts, federal prison transport, and much more.
Moreover, the United States Marshalls Service currently operates under the federal Witness Protection Program. It handles all arrests warrants in every state, making it one of the most potent law agencies in the U.S.
The ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives)
The ATF was officially created back in 1972. However, before that time, due to the ATF’s role in gathering federal revenue from the sale of guns, tobacco, and alcohol, the ATF was a subdivision of the IRS.
That said, the ATF was moved to the Department of Justice from the Treasury Department. It also underwent a change in name to what we now know as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
The ATF is responsible for performing various tasks in the United States, including enforcing federal law related to the possession, use, and manufacturing of explosives and guns. Furthermore, they also investigate the illegal use, sale, and trafficking of alcohol and tobacco across the country.
Moreover, the ATF collaborates with local or state law enforcement agencies to regulate the transportation and sale of explosives, firearms, and ammunition. In addition, the ATF also investigates bombings and instances of arson.
In fact, the ATF has an immensely complex fire research lab back in Maryland, where experts reconstruct acts of arson to reach the bottom of things.
The FBI( Federal Bureau of Investigations)
No list of U.S law enforcement agencies will be complete without mentioning the Federal Bureau of Investigation. In fact, due to the normalization of the FBI through movies and serials, most people will already know about this law enforcement agency more than they would about the other ones mentioned in this article.
Known for its innovative investigation techniques and cutting-edge forensic technology, the FBI is the United State’s most well-known law enforcement agency.
Created back in 1908 as the Bureau of Investigations and later changed to the FBI( Federal Bureau of Investigation) back in 1935, the FBI’s headquarters are located in Washington D.C. in the J. Edgar Hoover Building.
The FBI leads the efforts for criminal investigation, counter-terrorism, and domestic counterintelligence in the United States. While the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) focuses on international intelligence work and has no jurisdiction as far as law enforcement is concerned, the FBI leads the charge on the domestic front and has the authority to perform arrests locally.
Moreover, although the DOJ controls the FBI, it reports to the Director of National Intelligence (President’s Cabinet) and the Attorney General’s office(head of DOJ).
Conclusion.
Maintaining law and order in today’s modern but complicated and dangerous environment is no easy feat. Yet, the individuals who work for the agencies mentioned in this article ensure the American public remains protected from national and foreign threats.
Of course, with a carer in law enforcement, you will have various benefits. However, one significant advantage of working in law enforcement is that you will get the opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives and serve and protect them regularly!
So, if there is a law agency on this list you find interesting, you could always apply for a career after fulfilling the legal and educational requirements.
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