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The Five Most Exciting Law Enforcement Jobs by Lisa Jenkins

There are loads of law enforcement jobs available, and while any job in the law enforcement field is bound to be interesting, some jobs are a bit more exciting (and nerve-wracking!) than others. Read on for a list of the five most adrenaline-pumping law enforcement jobs available.

Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Officers

Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) officers are highly trained police officers who handle extremely high-risk operations that normal cops aren't equipped to address. SWAT teams may be asked to provide assistance on drug raids, provide extra security at high-profile events, conduct hostage rescue missions, and more.

Due to the violent dangers they often face on the job, SWAT team members have special protective gear and firearms, including armored cars and assault rifles. This law enforcement job is adrenaline-jolting and unpredictable. If you're part of a SWAT team, you can never know what to expect when you head to work.

CIA Clandestine Services Core Collectors

CIA Clandestine Services Core Collectors are the CIA agents who work abroad, collecting intelligence information from foreign sources in order to help maintain US safety and security. These agents travel internationally and interact with a variety of people in hopes of obtaining clandestine information that they can report back to CIA headquarters. The job involves travel, danger, and intrigue.

For the most part, CIA agents are required to keep their true identities and purpose hidden while on and off the job. Unlike most other law enforcement jobs, CIA agents have to keep what they do for a living a secret from almost everyone they know, including friends.

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agents

FBI special agents, like CIA agents, are responsible for investigating and maintaining US security. Unlike internationally-serving CIA agents, however, FBI agents generally work on the national level. FBI agents are usually assigned to a single specialty, which could include fields such as foreign counterintelligence, organized crime, cyber crime, and more. No matter what their specialty, all agents must pass stringent government security clearance requirements, as most are privy to classified government information.

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Federal Air Marshals

The TSA is the US government organization responsible for keeping every facet of US air transportation safe, from airports to airplanes. TSA Federal Air Marshals are on the front lines of this mission to keep US air travel free of terrorist threats. These armed law enforcement officers serve undercover in airports and on passenger flights to ensure the safety of air travel in and out of the United States.

Working undercover, a federal air marshal must discretely monitor his surroundings for suspicious activity. Air marshals need to know about everything from aviation medicine to close-quarters self defense. They are also held to higher standards of firearm accuracy than any other law enforcement jobs agency. Being a federal air marshal is a high-pressure job which requires plenty of time on the road and constant alertness.

Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Agents

Law enforcement jobs with the DEA support the US government in its war against drugs. DEA special agents are primarily responsible for helping to enforce the US Government's drug and drug trafficking laws. The job of a DEA agent involves helping to investigate and prosecute drug traffickers. This often means working undercover while investigating suspected traffickers and collecting intelligence information to help convict those individuals who are breaking US drug laws. Like the other jobs profiled here, DEA agents often interact with dangerous individuals and can be put in unpredictable situations.


For quite some there has been a shortage of trained people to fill law enforcement jobs posted throughout the United States. Lisa Jenkins outlines a wide variety of federal, state and local law enforcement careers on JobMonkey. You can learn about everything from working as a patrol or probation officer to FBI agent and SWAT Team jobs for the most highly trained individuals. Get training information too.

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