Whether conducting an undercover sting operation against an al Qaeda operative or using sophisticated surveillance equipment to monitor members of an international drugs trafficking cartel, homeland security officials in Albuquerque get the job done. Because organized crime and terrorist cells operate at the local, state, national and international levels, law enforcement officials working to stop them must do the same, and that means cooperation and teamwork. By conducting multi-agency homeland security training officers, agents and specialists are ready to act when the time comes. A major drug bust conducted in Albuquerque recently demonstrated the power combined forces.
Having What it Takes for a Homeland Security Career in Albuquerque
Candidates interested in homeland security careers in Albuquerque should research their particular position of interest to determine its education requirements. However there are some general prerequisites most homeland security jobs require, beginning with:
- No felony convictions or significant criminal history
- U.S. citizenship
- Ability to gain a security clearance and pass a background investigation
- Previous experience in a field of expertise, management or coordination is beneficial
Courses are offered by the New Mexico Department of Homeland Security to the citizens of Albuquerque for Homeland Security Certification in a number of areas that are either required for specified careers or at least beneficial for applicants in the homeland security field. The Professional Development Series includes courses such as:
- Fundamentals of Emergency Management
- Leadership and Influence
- Emergency Planning
- Effective Communication
The New Mexico Department of Homeland Security’s Advanced Professional Series includes:
- Incident Command System and Emergency Operations Center Interface
- Rapid Assessment Workshop
- Mass Fatalities
- Multi-Hazard Emergency Planning for Schools
- Evacuation and Re-entry Planning
There are also a number of local colleges and universities in Albuquerque that offer Associate and Bachelor Degrees in Homeland Security, accessible either online or on-campus. There are additional local degree programs for candidates interested in a career as a homeland security specialist, including:
- Forensic Science
- Political Science
- IT
- Engineering
- Linguistics
- Business Management
Multi-Agency Albuquerque Drug Take Down
When more than a dozen suspects are busted as being part of a major drug trafficking ring it can be expected that other charges like money laundering and weapons violations will also be involved. And that is exactly how it played out in the culmination of a joint-agency six-month operation against 15 men accused of trafficking drugs for a profit of approximately $15 million in the Albuquerque metro area. The traffickers stand accused of distributing kilograms of methamphetamine, marijuana and cocaine across Albuquerque as well as north and central New Mexico with drugs sourced domestically and internationally. The operation was a good example of the reason homeland security jobs in Albuquerque require team players, as the ranks of cooperating agencies included:
- Albuquerque Police Department
- DEA’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force
- FBI’s Albuquerque Safe Streets Task Force
- IRS’s Criminal Investigations
- New Mexico State Police
- Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Department
- Homeland Security Investigations Unit
- Air Branch of U.S. Customs and Border Protection
- High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force