It is not by accident that Henderson is ranked as one of the safest places to live in the United States. The city maintains a police department that is one of the most technologically advanced in the nation which works closely alongside state and federal law enforcement and homeland security agencies. These teams work together in a combined effort to keep drug dealers off the streets and ensure the city is not beset by terrorist attacks or organized crime. A key component of homeland security jobs in Henderson is cooperation, and that includes training exercises and joint task forces. A recent drug bust involved partner agencies from:
- Henderson Police Department
- Drug Enforcement Administration
- Nevada Highway Patrol
- FBI
Preparing for Future Homeland Security Careers in Henderson
Homeland security jobs in Henderson are open to candidates who come from fields such as information technology, public health, and business administration, or who have relevant academic or professional homeland security certification. Basic requirements for these positions include:
- Being a U.S. citizen
- Having a clean criminal background
- Strong ability to be an effective team member
- Capable of passing a background check for security clearance
The Nevada Department of Emergency Management offers courses in National Incident Management Systems:
- Intro to the Incident Command System
- Intermediate Incidence Command System
- Advanced Incident Command System
- Multi-Agency Coordination System
The Nevada Department of Public Safety offers certification in:
- The FBI’s Crime Information Center
- Nevada Criminal Justice Information System
- Fundamentals of Search and Rescue
- Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device Detection
There are also several area institutions that provide online or on-campus Homeland Security degrees. Depending on a candidate’s specialization, it may be helpful to obtain an associate or bachelor degree in another related field, including:
- Information Technology
- Criminal Justice
- Law Enforcement
- Social Sciences
- Political Science
If agents or officers have previous experience working in the law enforcement field, they will have likely already covered the fundamentals of homeland security during training.
National and International Drug Trafficking Gangs in Henderson
Those working in homeland security careers in Henderson will often be involved in operations focusing on drugs, an all-to-familiar vice in their city. As officials in the city limits progress in their fight against these socially denigrating substances, areas they had once cleared of drug users, dealers, and producers are being re-occupied by foreign drug cartels such as the Sinaloa, La Familia, and Zetas. Particularly when it comes to meth production, as soon as officers and agents raid one noxious lab the supply is replaced by smugglers making their way into Henderson with drugs from across the border. Recently Henderson police participating in a homeland security task force confiscated over four pounds of heroin along with 208 pounds of methamphetamine worth a street value of over $5.7 million. Ten arrests were made over the two-day course of the operation that put cartel members behind bars.
In another recent case, charges ranged from gun and drug trafficking to robbery among the 25 motorcycle gang members arrested in the culmination of a four-year undercover operation that began around Henderson and eventually spread to five other states. Multiple vehicles were seized by law enforcement officials, along with 2,000 mostly hydrocodine pills, 43 firearms, and 7.5 pounds of meth. The members of three different gangs – Vagos, Banditos, and Chosen Few – were among those who were arrested and charged. 300 officers took part in the final raids that, as acknowledged by the District Attorney, made a dent in local drug and weapons distribution networks.