Columbia is the second largest city in the state of Maryland, is a suburb of Baltimore and is located very close to the nation’s capitol of Washington, D.C. For these reasons, Columbia is a major player in the nationwide homeland security effort. In most cases, the homeland security organizations and agencies located in Columbia operate in concert with both Baltimore and the Washington D.C. in order to thwart terrorist plots against the Washington D.C.’s many targets, and to curb gang and organized crime violence.
Homeland security professionals in Columbia played a large role in the capture of the D.C. sniper, and have also played roles in thwarting terrorist attacks that were planned against the Pentagon and numerous other landmarks in the area.
Homeland Security Jobs in Columbia
Since Columbia is located right in between Washington D.C. and Baltimore, there are plenty of agencies related to homeland security field. The main employer is, of course, the United States Department of Homeland Security (which has it headquarters located in Washington D.C.,) but there are also many homeland security organizations and agencies located on the county and city level- including the Maryland Department of Homeland Security, the Baltimore County Department of Homeland Security and the Homeland division of the Baltimore County Police Department.
The following are some of the most common homeland security jobs found in Columbia, Maryland:
- Undercover Ops Team
- Surveillance Team
- Wireless Communication Experts
- Intelligence Analysts
- Electronic Monitoring Specialists
- Internet Detectives
Homeland Security Degrees, Training and Certification in Columbia
Requirements for employment with a homeland security organization state that applicants must have the proper education, training and certification in order to perform the job properly.
Homeland Security Degrees in Columbia: In Maryland, an applicant is required to have at least a bachelor degree in a field that is closely related to homeland security, criminal justice, legal studies or law enforcement. Examples of acceptable degrees include the following:
- Bachelor in Criminal Justice- Homeland Security
- Bachelor in Criminal Justice- Homeland Security Executive Management and Leadership
- Master of Criminal Justice- Terrorism, Mediation and Peace
- Bachelor Degree in Criminal Justice- Homeland Security and Emergency Management
- Master of Science in Homeland Security Technology
Homeland Security Training and Certification: Training and certification also tend to be common prerequisites for employment with one of the various homeland security organizations in Columbia, Maryland. Training can focus on leadership techniques, stress management, the basic foundations of homeland security, interdepartmental procedures and communication and technology skills, among many other facets of homeland security occupations. Upon completion of training, certification is awarded.