DEA
All About The DEA
Description of the DEA
All special agent candidates must meet one of the following criteria to be considered for DEA Academy training:
- A bachelor’s degree with a minimum GPA of 2.95
OR
- A bachelor’s degree (no minimum GPA requirement) and at least 3 years of specialized experience in any one of the following: engineering, telecommunications, accounting and auditing, piloting aircraft, captaining a sea vessel, or speaking a foreign language (Russian, French, Spanish, Balkan Languages, Nigerian Languages, Urdu, Farsi, Chinese, Mandarin, Hebrew, Arabic, or Japanese)
OR
- An LL.B., master’s degree or Juris Doctor (no minimum GPA requirement)
OR
- Extensive law enforcement experience in undercover work, surveillance operations, drug/narcotics related operations, or evidence collection
Once hired, recruits must complete an 18-week training program at the DEA Training Academy in Quantico, VA. After graduation, entering agents are assigned to one of four divisions:
- Operations Division
- Operations Support Division
- Inspection Division
- Intelligence Division
Disqualifications
DEA agents are expected to have the highest moral character. Candidates with serious criminal infractions, histories of drug use, or habitual financial insolvency are typically disqualified from becoming DEA agents.
In order to ascertain the reputation and moral character of a candidate, the DEA administers a comprehensive background investigation. A polygraph examination is used to verify that all information submitted by the applicant is accurate and that no disqualifying factors were missed.
A psychological evaluation is then conducted to ensure that no disqualifying traits or pathologies are present.
Following all of these evaluations the hiring panel will weigh the candidate’s application in its entirety before rendering a final decision. Only applicants who have been deemed “Most Competitive” will receive offers to become DEA special agents.