U.S. Marshals Service

[Sampras2]

What are your first couple of years like? Do you get to choose what service you want to do? For example, Court security, prisoner transport, Fugitive Task Force and so on. I am going to graduate in 3 semesters with a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice / Law Enforcement and was possibly thinking of a federal job. Also, do the majority of new recruits come with past law enforcement experience or are they guys fresh out of college?

Sampras2

[Redman]

Not a LEO, but I thought it was funny you just asked this. A special on the USMS was just on TLC and literally just went off 15 minutes ago. It will probably be on again pretty soon, so you may wanna watch for it. But you will probably get some better advice on here anyways..

[squeeeg]

Last I knew the US Marshal's weren't hiring unless you were military. You should go talk to your college, I am sure they have somebody there that does federal agencies. Promotions to special devisions are probably based on time. I am sure it is like every other federal agency where they will stick you where they want/need you at the time.

[ASUsundevil5]

What are your first couple of years like? Do you get to choose what service you want to do? For example, Court security, prisoner transport, Fugitive Task Force and so on. I am going to graduate in 3 semesters with a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice / Law Enforcement and was possibly thinking of a federal job. Also, do the majority of new recruits come with past law enforcement experience or are they guys fresh out of college?

Sampras2

From my understaning, they are not hiring. But, contact your local FO and see if the CO-Op program is available through your University, as this would be the optimal way to get on-board, as there are no vacancies currently..

[tomahawk134]

What are your first couple of years like? Do you get to choose what service you want to do? For example, Court security, prisoner transport, Fugitive Task Force and so on. I am going to graduate in 3 semesters with a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice / Law Enforcement and was possibly thinking of a federal job. Also, do the majority of new recruits come with past law enforcement experience or are they guys fresh out of college?

Sampras2

You should talk with Switchback ....... he is a Deputy United States Marshal

[Bearcat06]

You should talk with Switchback ....... he is a Deputy United States Marshal

Actually, we have a couple on here. Switchback is the most active of them but he's overseas.....so be patient and someone will get with you....

[Switchback]

Actually, we are always in a state of hiring. The big issue is what the mode of hiring is at any given time. It seems to go in waves. The most recent flavor of the day is directly from the military, grabbing those within 6 months of their separation. Sometimes hiring will focus on co-op hires, etc.

All new hires come in as Deputy US Marshals, series 082. They are non-investigative. Although they can do nearly anything that an investigator (series 1811) can, their primary duties are prisoner-related. They do mostly court, transport and cellblock. They get out to help 1811s with warrants and other duties when the court schedule permits.

Often there may be an 1811 Deputy US Marshal working right next to the 082. It all depends on the court load of the given office. The 1811 works court when the schedule demands it and the 082 gets out of court when the schedule permits... the difference appears more subtle than it actually is.

In some offices 082s get out to play often. In others, that are very court intensive, they rarely get out at all. When I got hired (before the current 082 program), you could say the same for all the junior 1811s.

As things go, this helps a great deal for those wanting to be Deputy U.S. Marshals, though I cannot say I like what it does for the quality of people we draw. Since the most competitive candidates do not want to be 082s and they take jobs as 1811s elsewhere, you may find it a little easier to get picked up by us these days. Bear in mind that easier is a very relative term... it is still a rather competitive job.

After (I think) 2 years as an 082 you can put in a package to be considered to be an 1811. Rather than taking a test, competing with 15K people (like I did when I put in for the 1811 job), you are competing with a couple hundred other 082s for 50 slots as an 1811.

There is more info on our website. You can also get more details by calling your local office and asking for the recruitor. I don't know too much on the personnel side of things (I never got the training on candy-coating the details of the hiring process).

082s are paid significantly less (I don't know how much they make to be honest). I think they journeyman out at GS11, but I don't remember. They DO NOT get Law Enforcement Availability Pay (LEAP). The amount of OT they get depends on the district to which they are assigned. They cannot put in for SOG and their are some assignments that they are precluded from staffing.

That's all I can thnik of off-hand. If you have specific questions.. shoot!

[TheQuietCorner]

How competitive are the 082 jobs?

[Kimble]

How competitive are the 082 jobs?

Any federal job is competative to get onboard with. Right now the hiring requirements to become an 082 DUSM are pretty tight:

For Deputy U.S. Marshal positions, the U.S. Marshals Service is currently limited to hiring individuals who:

-- Are completing an authorized Cooperative Education Program with the Marshals Service through an accredited College or University;

-- Are on the register for eligible candidates on the basis of taking the Deputy U.S. Marshals exam.

At this time, the Deputy U.S. Marshal exam is closed to the general public. The U.S. Marshals Service will accept a request to take the Deputy U.S. Marshal exam under very limited circumstances.

Add in the fact that the 082's are 6c-covered and can lead to an 1811 position with one of the most respected agencies in all of LE (federal or otherwise), and you can certainly see how this position can be pretty competative. I would say that if one had a bachelor's degree and service in the military, they would be an ideal applicant for an 082 position (though I've heard of some who were hired with one or the other, rather than both).

[Welpe]

Switch I owe you some rep but my repper is broken right now.

Thanks for the informative post.

[Switchback]

Bear in mind, everyone, that it is not the requirements that you need to look at. It's what everyone else putting in for the job is bringing to the table.

For example, when they used to open it nationwide as an 1811, things were a little moer cut-throat. The requirements were to have a 4 yr degree, 2.5 eyars of LE (making arrests, not detention), or a comjbination of the 2. That being said, in my class of 48, all but 2 guys had degrees. All but about 10 of us had LE experience, and 2/3 had active duty military behind them. It can be very competitive. As much as anythign else, it can be about timing.

I am not sure I would have put in if I knew how competitive it was. Luckily, I knew very little about the job when I applied.

You will never get hired without putting in, I can tell you that!

[ngcsubutterbar]

Switch, you mentioned different district caseloads. Which ones are more slow so they 'can' go out and play?

[Switchback]

It's not that easy. It is easier to tell you some of the major places to avoid, such as DC Superior Court, Southern NY, Eastern NY, and Detroit.

Some smaller sub-offices are busy, while others allow more time for street work. You really can't tell about an office unless you put some calls in and talk to the people there. Then it can vary greatly based on who you talk to. In my office it is pretty court intensive if you are an 082. Then, depending on which of the 1811s you talk to, you will get different answers. Two of us are full time on fugitive task force. You won't catch us complaining one bit. Then the other 4 1811s are in general operations, getting a little under half their time in warrants, depending on the court schedule.

[tre8]

Switchback,

Any word on when the USMS is opening testing for the general public? I've talked to a few 1811s in my area, and they don't seem to know.....


I've tried to put in for the fugitive task force, but the brass won't let me go right now. :mad:

I have college and LE experience, but no military. The last test I heard of was 01. Aren't you guys due for another one?

[Switchback]

Switchback,

Any word on when the USMS is opening testing for the general public? I've talked to a few 1811s in my area, and they don't seem to know.....


I've tried to put in for the fugitive task force, but the brass won't let me go right now. :mad:

I have college and LE experience, but no military. The last test I heard of was 01. Aren't you guys due for another one?

Trust me when I say that most of us want the positions to be opened up to the general public. It encourages competition and competition yields the best candidates getting the job. Right now it is very, VERY limited in the scope of hiring. Personnel is the one thing in the USMS that I know least about. How they decide to hire people is done using one of those magic 8-balls for all I know!

Sorry.