Working in the heart of the nation’s capital, employees in the homeland security sector provide an invaluable service for the metro area as well as the country. Homeland security careers in DC can begin with an application as soon as candidates meet the minimum job requirements. Employers are looking for qualified, professional, and able applicants who are eager to demonstrate their aptitudes and homeland security certification in DC-based employment. Because it is the federal seat of government of the last remaining superpower and a symbol of freedom, liberty, Western values, and capitalism, the nation’s capital has all too often been the target of terrorist attacks.
Having the Right Education for Homeland Security Jobs in DC
Because of their delicate security implications and vital importance, many homeland security jobs in DC require some form of certification, higher education, and/or specialized training. Professionals in this field hold a high degree of responsibility to protect not only the citizens of nation’s capital, but also the representative government of the entire country. That is why some formalized homeland security training in DC can be beneficial for candidates applying for employment in this field. This is often in the form of homeland security degrees in DC, which are offered through a variety of venues in multiple subject areas.
Having the right homeland security degree in DC can make the difference when it comes to getting a job in that field. There are many areas of study that fulfill the minimum requirements for homeland security positions, that often mandate candidates have associate, bachelor, master, of terminal degrees in their fields of expertise. These include:
- Homeland Security – Policy and Coordination
- Criminal Justice – Law Enforcement
- Legal Studies
- Business Management
- Leadership and Executive Management
- Forensic Psychology and Criminal Investigation
- Human Services
DC’s Homeland Security Sector Stays Busy: Bomb Plots and Chemical Weapons
A recent plot uncovered by government officials at various levels involved a U.S. citizen who was planning to place bombs throughout the DC metro transit system. As revealed by law enforcement sources, the suspect was arrested after meeting with undercover agents whom he thought to be members of al-Qaida, and discussing various suggestions for detonating explosives on trains.
In another plot, employees in the homeland security field recently arrested a man who had been under constant surveillance and was walking towards the Capitol building wearing what he believed was a suicide vest and carrying a phony firearm. Fortunately, undercover agents had supplied the dud vest and fake gun, and said the public was never in danger, arresting the man before he set foot on Capitol grounds. According to government agents, the man had also considered attacking a military gathering, a restaurant, or a synagogue, hoping to kill at least 30 people.
Officials working to protect homeland security in DC recently arrested a suspect in the latest round of deadly substances being sent to state representative offices by mail. Unlike the anthrax mailings in 2001 that killed five people, this time a more secure and strategic mail facility prevented anyone from becoming sick after several letters containing the ricin toxin were discovered. Through inter-agency cooperation, several arrests have been made to date.