ICE Cyber Crimes / Law Enforcement and IT Professionals (Advice)

[Meridian]

Hey Everyone,

I have been working as an IT Professional for the past 5 years now and currently hold a Bachelors Degree in Network Technologies. Having thought about a career in Law Enforcement on and off for the past several years, I have recently made the decision to make the career change. However, I would like to utilize my IT background and apply it towards whatever LE position works out.

At the moment I am not limiting myself to one particular area and am pursuing a couple avenues. I am in the process of applying for local Police Departments, but have also heard great things about ICE and FBI.

I have recently tried contacting the SAC for my local ICE Field Office to inquire about a Special Agent position and their role with the Cyber Crimes Center, however I was unable to get through to anyone. I was hoping that some of you can shed some light on what ICE's Cyber Crimes Center entails as far as employment.

-Does ICE have Special Agent positions that concentrate on the Cyber Crimes Center?
-Aside from the Administrative Section ITAS (which I am not interested in) what are the types of positions available in CES (Child Exploitation Section), CCS (Cyber Crimes Section), and DFS (Digital Forensics Section)
-Are there actual LE positions for these specific units?

Any input and/or career advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[Bearcat357]

Chances of getting on to an ICE Cyber Crimes Unit/Section as a rookie is zlich. I know a couple of guys/gals that are doing it and they had 3-5 years of experience with ICE/Criminal Investigations before they could even look at applying for the unit......

Just like most things in LE....have to start at the bottom and work up.

ICE will be hiring new agents in the near future (should be next month or so....or less...as they had a test annoucement on USAJOBs today for about an hour). It will take you at least year to get hired if hired......

Other than ICE, USSS, and US Postal Service work cyber crimes as well. Once again, you have to start out as an Agent and earn your way into a spot....

Good luck....

[izamsilas]

While I wouldn't say zilch, its unlikely you'd be assigned to someplace like C3 (a Hqs assignment if I remember correctly) starting out. Stranger things have happened I'm sure.

The main point I'd consider is you should approach this career change (IMO, of course) with a desire to work LE...not specialized LE, but all of whatever agency you come on with handles. Its great to aspire to things (believe me, aspiring to work CP is not that hard to get...I don't know too many people that worked a lot of CP that aspired to work it...more like aspired to work something else), but focus on the first big step, getting hired. You know?

Outside of that, check out the TEO ICE positions, though they did more hiring last year. I've heard they will be doing some hiring at some point soon as well.

Good luck!

[Bearcat357]

Outside of that, check out the TEO ICE positions,

I (personnally) think that would be a better gig from talking to the TEO folks than an ICE SA job.....

As for what the OP is looking at, I'm just going off the folks I know that work it. Took them a good 3-5 years to get into the area......

And you are correct, one must desire to work as a ICE SA.....because you could work that slot for a few years, then get pulled and go do something else based on the needs/wishes/desire of the agency....

[GatorFutureSA]

I had a conversation with the SAC about this during my interview last year. Since I come from an IT background, I was curious if I'd be able to utilize my expertise as an ICE-SA. He said it would depend on where I was located. If I was at a large SAC office, I would probably be assigned to their cyber-crimes unit. If I was based at a smaller office that didn't have a dedicated team, I "might" have a collateral duty when it came to digital forensics or cyber-related incidents. He seemed to think that there would be no shortage of opportunities to keep my toe in cyber-stuff.

[Bearcat357]

I had a conversation with the SAC about this during my interview last year. Since I come from an IT background, I was curious if I'd be able to utilize my expertise as an ICE-SA. He said it would depend on where I was located. If I was at a large SAC office, I would probably be assigned to their cyber-crimes unit. If I was based at a smaller office that didn't have a dedicated team, I'd have a collateral duty when it came to digital forensics or cyber-related incidents. He seemed to think that there would be no shortage of opportunities to keep my toe in cyber-stuff.

Glad to hear that. Like I said, I'm just going with the guys/gals I know that work that work it.....and going off their experiences.....

As stated, if the needs of the agency come into play.....be ready to not do it and go back to being a regular ICE SA..... And that's what your goal should be (in my opinion)....Be the best ICE SA you can be then go for other stuff once you get your time on.... Need to learn the basics before you jump into something like that as you could be pulled to be a be a Supervisor....and that would suck not knowing what is going on.....

[izamsilas]

In truth, its not rocket science. A lot of what the agents in C3 do is lead development and program management. Hardly high speed in the cyber realm. I never really got anything useful out of C3, and had a couple agents trash a few leads I had going, because they wanted them under their umbrella programs.

Another perspective, I came with a certain background and found myself being called by my ASAC for stuff relating to that background on a semi regular basis. I was POC in my office for certain issues, and would guess that anyone with a solid IT background would probably have opportunity to have the same experiences. I also worked with lots of WoW warriors who didn't use any "IT" skills from their prior lives for their cases...so, it really depends on the individual, the group they are assigned to, and what cases might need their experience (and if anyone cares to ask for their help).

Its funny though, never really thought of anyone actually WANTING to be assigned to C3...

[Bearcat357]

Its funny though, never really thought of anyone actually WANTING to be assigned to C3...

I know a couple of people on your side of the house and the local/state side of the house that wanted it for various reasons..... I did some with the County Sheriffs Dept I worked for .....and it was enough to irrate me at a certain class of society.....but sicken me enough that I knew it wasn't what I really wanted to do for a long time......

[mikewhitlow]

Hey Everyone,

I have been working as an IT Professional for the past 5 years now and currently hold a Bachelors Degree in Network Technologies. Having thought about a career in Law Enforcement on and off for the past several years, I have recently made the decision to make the career change. However, I would like to utilize my IT background and apply it towards whatever LE position works out.

At the moment I am not limiting myself to one particular area and am pursuing a couple avenues. I am in the process of applying for local Police Departments, but have also heard great things about ICE and FBI.

I have recently tried contacting the SAC for my local ICE Field Office to inquire about a Special Agent position and their role with the Cyber Crimes Center, however I was unable to get through to anyone. I was hoping that some of you can shed some light on what ICE's Cyber Crimes Center entails as far as employment.

-Does ICE have Special Agent positions that concentrate on the Cyber Crimes Center?
-Aside from the Administrative Section ITAS (which I am not interested in) what are the types of positions available in CES (Child Exploitation Section), CCS (Cyber Crimes Section), and DFS (Digital Forensics Section)
-Are there actual LE positions for these specific units?

Any input and/or career advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

I am an IT/network guy originally, and now a sworn police officer. I have done a lot of it on both sides of the house both as IT an LEO.

I have applied for some 1811 gigs that I was so qualified for on both sides that I was afraid they would think I was a liar when I said I really did have all of those qualifications on both the IT and LE side because it was a unique combo of qualifications for one guy to have. But I applied.. Got through various stages of the processes but never got "the call".

I just turned 37 now so I am out of the running, but I encourage you to keep going. My advise would be that your IT background alone won't get you much, but get some LE too like I did and you MIGHT have a chance. I hope you go for it. Our country needs people like you.

[SHU]

Hey Everyone,

I have been working as an IT Professional for the past 5 years now and currently hold a Bachelors Degree in Network Technologies. Having thought about a career in Law Enforcement on and off for the past several years, I have recently made the decision to make the career change. However, I would like to utilize my IT background and apply it towards whatever LE position works out.

At the moment I am not limiting myself to one particular area and am pursuing a couple avenues. I am in the process of applying for local Police Departments, but have also heard great things about ICE and FBI.

I have recently tried contacting the SAC for my local ICE Field Office to inquire about a Special Agent position and their role with the Cyber Crimes Center, however I was unable to get through to anyone. I was hoping that some of you can shed some light on what ICE's Cyber Crimes Center entails as far as employment.

-Does ICE have Special Agent positions that concentrate on the Cyber Crimes Center?
-Aside from the Administrative Section ITAS (which I am not interested in) what are the types of positions available in CES (Child Exploitation Section), CCS (Cyber Crimes Section), and DFS (Digital Forensics Section)
-Are there actual LE positions for these specific units?

Any input and/or career advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

With your background I would suggest that you also consider applying to the FBI. I think with your skill set you would be a decent candidate. Contrary to what you see on tv, 80% of the Agents I've come in contact with from that agency look more like librarians than cops. You would have a much greater chance to do IT type work in that agency but that does not mean you would not have some of those details in ICE as well. Even my agency has some Agents doing IT type details and we are as far removed from office work as you can get. Also consider the IRS. Lots of people following the money there. Good luck with whatever you try to get into and do just sit back and only apply to your dream job if you really want to get your foot in the door. Many of us in the feds have had to take a round about path to get to where we really want to be within the feds. Best of luck to you.

[izamsilas]

Hmm, I guess it'd also help to clarify what is meant by working 'IT' stuff...if just talking CP cases, I wouldn't say that has much to do with tech. Other stuff maybe, and definitely if you get into the forensics area (though I'd stay far the f away if you ever have a desire to also work anything else...digital forensics is an agent blackhole)...and for something like a TEO or tech agent gig, you'd definitely use tech skills (IP cams, etc).

[Meridian]

Thanks for all the input guys. I am just going to keep my avenues open and keep a look out for the oppurtunities as they present themselves. I have a gut feeling I am going to end up in a local LE position to start off (which is fine). I am excited for the change and the new challenge. Plus, it would probably be beneficial to have the experience when applying for the bigger jobs.

[BamaBullets]

Thanks for all the input guys. I am just going to keep my avenues open and keep a look out for the oppurtunities as they present themselves. I have a gut feeling I am going to end up in a local LE position to start off (which is fine). I am excited for the change and the new challenge. Plus, it would probably be beneficial to have the experience when applying for the bigger jobs.

I am basically living what you want to do with the exception of being a Fed. Went to school for management info sys, worked IT admin and support while at school and for 2 years after it, got tired of it and went into the family business(L.E.). Now I am working as a computer forensics investigator and along with my boss run the departments mobile data system from design to implementation to support. Don't limit yourself to ICE. There is currently a 1811 open with a SCERS option. SCERS(Seized Computer Evidence Recovery Specialist ) is a forensic class at FLETC so there is an option. I know of several ICE agents in this area that went to FLETC and came right back here working on ICAC task force so yes you can come out of FLETC working it. Also there is a 1811 Cyber Crimes position open on USA Jobs. Just about every agency has some sort of computer forensics/network intrusion type people. Don't forget about NSA as well. Just keep your eyes open and apply