The Connecticut Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) resident office is part of the New England Division. According to the National Survey on Drug Use & Health (2007-08), Connecticut is among the top 10 states with the highest number of individuals aged 18-25 who are dependent on illicit drugs. In fact, in Connecticut drug-related deaths now outnumber motor vehicle fatalities. The dedicated DEA agents based out of Connecticut spend their careers working hard to combat this plague by putting drug cartel leadership where it belongs – behind bars.
Duties/Responsibilities of a DEA Agent in Connecticut
DEA agents are a highly diverse group of men and women with a wide variety of talents, skills, knowledge and specialized training. The duties of a DEA agent include:
- Managing complicated criminal investigations
- Discovering critical intelligence
- Working undercover
- Conducting financial investigations
- Collecting/readying evidence
- Arresting suspects
- Confiscating illegal narcotics, currency and firearms
- Testifying in court
How to Become a DEA Special Agent
The process for those interested in becoming DEA special agents often takes over a year. Candidates must be U.S. citizens between the ages of 21-36 with a clean criminal and drug record. Preference is given to those with a combination of education and experience that includes:
- Education
- Experience
J.D. or L.L.B. OR Bachelor’s or Master’s degree, preferably in criminal justice (or a related discipline); accounting/finance; or foreign language (with fluency)
1 year in narcotics-related law enforcement investigations OR
3 years in a military leadership position OR
3 years “hands-on” experience in accounting/finance or electronics OR
3 years/as a licensed pilot or ship’s first mate/navigational officer
Qualified applicants can contact the DEA’s Connecticut Resident Office in Hartford at 860-257-2601.
Recent Achievements of the DEA in Connecticut
On April 3, 2013, DEA agents took part in a massive joint law enforcement operation that demolished a huge network of heroin and cocaine rings in southeastern Connecticut. The agents were among over 700 officers from Homeland Security, Border Patrol, the Secret Service and other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies involved in the 15-month-long investigation that culminated with the arrest of 100 persons and the seizure of large quantities of narcotics, firearms, cash and vehicles. The investigation began in New London, CT with the discovery of two organizations that were importing and distributing heroin and cocaine into Connecticut from Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. The operation, which emphasizes the critical importance of collaborative efforts, has made Connecticut a safer place.
In addition to such headline events, DEA agents make Connecticut a safer place on a daily basis. During the first four days of April 2013, Connecticut DEA agents destroyed an oxycodone ring in the city of Brockton; busted a gang that was moving roughly 15,000 illegal prescription pills a month; testified at the sentencing of a Mexican drug trafficker they had previously arrested along with three bricks of heroin and $14,000 cash; and initiated a campaign to alert the public about the increase in the use of designer drugs, especially bath salts, by suburban youths.
The Connecticut DEA is a proud member of the Narcotic Enforcement Officers Assoc., a non-profit educational organization dedicated to disseminating information about the dangers of illegal drugs. They publish informational pamphlets about specific drugs, as well as coloring/activity books like, “The ABC’s of Drugs,” for children. DEA agents are among the speakers who offer workshops to schools, social clubs, police departments, hospital staffs, teacher associations, EMTs and nurses.