About Secret Agent Positions in Law Enforcement
The name "secret agent" brings to mind many images, from James Bond to Maxwell Smart, but truly, what is a secret agent? It's necessary to separate the facts from the myths about what a real secret agent is, at least in law enforcement. This includes what a real agent is, who employs them, how someone can become an agent and how much they make.
Other People Are Reading
-
What Is a Secret Agent?
-
A true secret agent is an undercover federal agent who works in plainclothes and uses cover stories and identities to gain the confidence of suspected criminals. This is in order to to establish sufficient probable cause to arrest them and hopefully convict them for the crimes committed. These agents are federal criminal investigators (series 1811) and can work for one of over 40 agencies with criminal investigative divisions.
How to Become an Agent?
-
Becoming an agent is not an easy task. Many apply, but few make it through the process, which includes attaining top-secret clearance. Almost all agencies require their applicants to have a minimum of a bachelor's degree from an accredited university. If selected, an applicant then goes through a series of tests, interviews and schools before she gets her credentials. The process to get hired is approximately one to two years and schools can be anywhere from four to six months long, depending on the agency. Even after all this, there is no guarantee of going undercover. Only a select few agents ever become undercover agents; most will only work in plainclothes.
-
What Is the Job of an Agent?
-
Unlike in the movies, most agents don't work by themselves but on task forces or in teams. These teams can be as small as three or four agents, or as large as 100 agents plus support staff. These task forces are assigned specific case types, and then depending on what the case requires, one or multiple agents may go UC (under cover). While undercover, these agents still have regular contact with their supervisors or team members to ensure that the agent is safe, and to pass along any recent evidence that may help the case. These agents actually are closely monitored for various reasons, including ensuring that an agents' cover is not blown and that the agents are psychologically capable of continuing on their assignment.
How Much Does an Agent Make?
-
Most agents make about $45,000 to $50,000 per year while they're in school. After finishing their first five years, they can make close to $100,000 per year. In addition, an agent can make some overtime, but that is limited. Agents are assigned a vehicle (a sedan or SUV) and a government credit card, both of which are to be used only for authorized official use. Of course most carry two pistols at all times (a primary and a compact back-up), as well as handcuffs and communication devices.
What Should I Know?
-
Being a "secret agent" may not be like the movies; every day is not a car chase or shoot-outs. The reality is that even while under cover, agents are just trying to gather enough evidence for the U.S. attorney to consider sufficient probable cause to warrant an arrest. Agents are law enforcement officers and are only one part of the justice system. But if this is a route you decide to go, it is one that requires dedication and fortitude, because in the most tedious of tasks and when least expected, your life or that of other agents and/or innocent people can be endangered, and your actions will decide how it all ends.
-
