How to Become a DEA Agent in New Hampshire by Meeting Requirements

The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has 223 regional offices and 21 divisions throughout the United States. The Boston Division, which is located in the JFK Federal Building on 15 Sudbury Street (617-557-2100), oversees the entire New England area, to New Hampshire.

In New Hampshire, DEA jobs are found in the DEA regional offices located in Manchester (603-628-7411) and Portsmouth (603-433-0650).

FIND SCHOOLS
Sponsored Content

New Hampshire DEA Jobs and Careers: The DEA in New Hampshire

Before learning how to become a DEA agent in New Hampshire by meeting the agency’s requirements, it’s wise to understand the DEA’s presence and roll within the state, as well as the greater Boston Division.

Often deemed the “Heroin Highway” by law enforcement officials, the trafficking of heroin along Interstate 195, from Providence, Rhode Island, to Cape Code, Massachusetts, has been a major concern of the DEA, who has worked alongside law enforcement officials at nearly every level for a number of years.

In New Hampshire, DEA careers are often spent investigating and pursuing drug cartels on both sides of the U.S./Canadian border. New Hampshire’s proximity to the border has made it a primary transshipment state for illegal drugs, as well, particularly along Interstate 91, which runs along the New Hampshire/Vermont border and Interstate 93, which runs north/south through the state.

New Hampshire DEA Operations and Drug Busts in the News

Recent headlines out of the Boston Division can give individuals who want to learn how to become DEA agents some insight into just how this federal agency is defending New Hampshire from the incursion of illegal drugs.

  • March 13, 2013: A New Haven individual was sentenced 30 months in federal prison for the distribution of heroin.
  • March 5, 2013: A man involved in an international drug conspiracy was extradited from Columbia to Boston.
  • February 1, 2013: Another individual was sentenced to 15 ½ years in federal prison for his role in Rhode Island’s largest cocaine operation.
  • January 11, 2013: A former TSA Officer was sentenced for accepting bribes from a drug trafficker.

How to Become a DEA Agent in New Hampshire by Meeting Requirements

A bachelor’s degree with a high GPA, or advanced degree related to law or criminal justice are considered the educational standards for DEA agent job applicants. An exception to the high (2.95) GPA requirement is granted to those with useful experience in fields such as engineering, linguistics, or those with important skills such as piloting an aircraft. Only applicants with years of highly relevant investigative experience can qualify without a degree.

New Hampshire residents interested in careers with the DEA must follow a strict application process that includes meeting a core set of minimum requirements, which include passing a DEA-administered drug test and a background investigation.

New Hampshire residents interested in meeting the requirements for DEA Academy training can attain information by visiting the DEA website.

Prospects who meet all the stated requirements can contact the regional recruiter, Special Agent Jane Giandana at 617-557-2357.

New Hampshire Governor’s Commission: Pharmaceutical Abuse “Epidemic”

A January 2012 publication by New Hampshire Governor’s Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention, Intervention, and Treatment refers to drugs in New Hampshire as an “epidemic,” given the steady increase in drug-related deaths since 2000, the majority of which were attributed to prescription drug overdoses. Further, the number of drug-related overdoes death increased markedly between 2002 and 2010, increasing from 80 deaths to 174 during the eight-year period. During this time, prescription opioids were the leading cause of death.

According to a 2008-2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, pain medication abuse among New Hampshire’s young adults is much higher than the national average, 16.78 percent in New Hampshire vs. 11.94 percent nationwide.

For example, between 2008 and 2010, the number of individuals entering abuse treatment facilities for oxycodone addictions increased 60 percent, from 11.6 percent of all patients in 2008 to 18.7 percent of patients in 2010. In 2010, oxycodone became the second must common drug of abuse, following alcohol, among those who entered state-funded treatment facilities. Further, the New Hampshire Medical Examiner’s Office reported that the number of deaths in New Hampshire resulting from oxycodone has more than tripled since 2000.

In 2010, methadone was the leading cause of drug-related deaths in New Hampshire, followed by oxycodone.

Back to Top