Homeland security positions in Newark are comprised of the city’s finest in and out of uniform, who work on a daily basis to prevent the next terrorist attack and stop the next major drug shipment to the dealers who stand on the street corner. Law enforcement and investigative agencies are involved in Newark’s homeland security from the Newark Police Department to the city’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. An essential part of being involved in homeland security careers in Newark is being able to work in a team across agency lines. These types of local collaborations include:
- Essex County Sheriff’s Office of Homeland Security
- FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force
- Essex County Rapid Deployment Team
- New Jersey State Police
- New Jersey Domestic Security Preparedness Task Force
Recent Homeland Security Operations in Newark
Before they boarded their flight to a foreign country to join an al Qaeda affiliate, two New Jersey men were arrested and charged with conspiring to kidnap, murder and maim outside the U.S. Thanks to the diligent work of homeland security personnel, an untold number of lives were saved and destruction averted. Surveillance experts and plain-clothed agents tailed the men to the airport and made the arrest there so they could hear any last-minute wiretapped conversations and amass stronger evidence for their prosecution that recently began in a Newark courtroom. Because airport police and TSA agents conduct regular homeland security training exercises the arrests were able to be made seamlessly.
An international human trafficking ring tied to Newark was recently broken up by homeland security operatives in the culmination of a months-long investigation. Agents gathered enough evidence through undercover operations, interviews, and other investigative techniques to put away one of the ringleaders of the operation for 51 months, after he pleaded guilty to bringing foreigners from India, Brazil, and other countries to America to work in his exotic dance clubs. Working in cooperation with other federal agencies and local police, the homeland security team determined that hundreds of illegal aliens were involved in the scheme.
Education for Homeland Security Careers in Newark
Stepping into a new career in homeland security requires some initial preparation. Candidates can begin by researching the prerequisites for their specific career of choice. Homeland security jobs in Newark all have some basic requirements that include:
- U.S. citizenship
- Able to pass a background check and obtain a security clearance
- Valid driver’s license
- No felony convictions
- Previous experience in emergency management, law enforcement, and research/investigations is a plus
Positions will specify what kind of education requirements they are looking for, which can include professional homeland security certification courses and/or a degree in Homeland Security. The New Jersey Office of Homeland Security offers course certification through classes such as:
- Weapons of Mass Destruction for Radiation/Nuclear Responders
- Personal Radiation Detection
- Emergency Response and Incident Management
- Terrorism Awareness
The New Jersey Office of Homeland Security utilizes the latest technology in its education tools, which includes the Master Exercise and Training Information System, a web-based tool specifically adapted for homeland security certification and training.
Homeland Security Associate and Bachelor Degrees are also available at several area colleges and universities in the Newark area. These provide candidates with a solid foundation in the field and are also a basic requirement for many homeland security jobs in Newark. Other degrees available in the region that can segue into a homeland security specialist career include:
- Information Technology
- Communications
- Psychology
- Engineering
- Social Sciences