Law Enforcement Careers

We all know about law enforcement careers. The police are familiar to everyone. You see them driving past in their squad cars, eating at restaurants, directing cars through intersections when traffic lights are broken, and putting up yellow tape at crime scenes. You also see them on television - solving crimes, interviewing suspects, and making arrests. The police do all of these things and more. But, do you know how many different kinds of law enforcement jobs there are? Let's look at a few:

Police officer: Police officers are the basic law enforcement agents and are at the heart of law enforcement careers. They work in local jurisdictions and are highly visible to the people that they protect. This is the most familiar yet essential of law enforcement careers.

State troopers: State troopers are the officers that you see along interstate highways and are chiefly responsible for enforcing highway laws. They also protect the governor of the state and serve in lieu of local police for towns and other jurisdictions too small to have their own police forces.

FBI agents: Law enforcement careers with the Federal Bureau of Investigation involve enforcing federal laws, many of which involve crimes that take place in multiple states and across state borders.

Secret Service agents: Secret Service agents are the elite law enforcement officials who protect the president of the United States and other public officials, as well as investigating cases of counterfeiting.

Customs agents: Customs agents are part of the Department of Homeland Security. These law enforcement careers involve regulating the import of physical goods into the United States, with a special charge to locate illegal goods such as weapons that could be used by terrorists.

Drug enforcement agents: Drug enforcement agency (DEA) officers enforce laws relating to the sale and possession of illegal drugs.

Game wardens: These are law enforcement careers that are often forgotten by the general public. Game wardens are responsible for enforcing laws relating to hunting, fishing, and other potentially illegal treatment of wildlife.

Law enforcement careers are exciting, and many people are attracted to them. Fortunately, the field is large, and many law enforcement officers are needed in the United States. If you are looking for a career to spend your life in, this is a solid choice.