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90-689: Lafayette Square and the surrounding structures were designated the Lafayette Square Historic District in 1970. Planned by Pierre L'Enfant as part of the pleasure grounds surrounding the Executive Mansion, the square is part of President's Park , which is the larger National Park Service unit that also includes the White House grounds, The Ellipse , the Eisenhower Executive Office Building and grounds and

180-624: A crack cocaine purchase in Lafayette Park prior to US President George H. W. Bush 's delivery of a national address that was part of his ongoing effort against drug abuse . Thomas and Concepcion Picciotto are founders of the White House Peace Vigil , which is the longest running anti-nuclear peace vigil in U.S. history, at Lafayette Square. On June 1, 2020, amid mass protests in Washington, DC and nationally , which followed

270-736: A communications system with the Department of Defense for communication with state and regional enforcement independent of the Department of Justice and police information systems and is coordinated by an information command center called the El Paso Intelligence Center (EPIC) near El Paso, Texas . Rapid Response Teams ( RRT ), previously known as Foreign-Deployed Advisory and Support Teams ( FAST ), were decommissioned by DEA Acting Administrator Chuck Rosenburg in March 2017 via memorandum. A need for domestic high-risk service teams led to

360-490: A controlled substance. Many problems associated with substance use disorders are the result of legitimately manufactured controlled substances being diverted from their lawful purpose into the illicit drug traffic. Many of the analgesics, depressants and stimulants manufactured for legitimate medical use can often carry the potential for addiction. Therefore, those scheduled substances have been brought under legal control for prevention and population safety. The goal of controls

450-476: A deadly adulterant in heroin have ravaged North America. An estimated 19,416 individuals died of a drug overdose in the United States in the first 3 months of 2020 compared with 16,682 in the same 3-month period in 2019; this trend was fueled by synthetic opioids (especially illicitly manufactured fentanyl and analogs). Furthermore, between May 2020 and April 2021, the estimated number of drug overdose deaths in

540-480: A display of police aggression against a largely peaceful crowd. The act, carried out by U.S. Park Police , Arlington County police , Federal Bureau of Prisons officers, and Secret Service officers, was condemned by critics as a violation of the First Amendment right to freedom of assembly . Bureau of Prison officials fired pepper spray munitions, contrary to the instructions of Park Police leadership. Although

630-453: A drug user or addict to the general public is a case of conflicting civil rights. Recurrently, billions of dollars are spent yearly, focusing largely on criminal law and demand reduction campaigns, which has resulted in the imprisonment of thousands of U.S. citizens. Demand for recreational drugs is somewhat static as the market for most illegal drugs has been saturated, forcing the cartels to expand their market to Europe and other areas than

720-554: A firearm listed on an authorized carry list maintained and updated by the Firearms Training Unit (FTU), Quantico, Virginia. Special Agents may qualify with their own personally-owned handguns, rifle, and shotgun, and certain handguns are allowed to be used with permission from the FTU. Agents are required to attend tactical and firearms proficiency training quarterly, and to qualify with their handguns twice per year. The DEA has one of

810-606: A full seven minutes before any dispersal order was given by the Park Police. The Secret Service apologized for this incident but the OIG for the Department of the Interior and the OIG for the Department of Homeland Security declined to investigate their actions. Similarly, the Park Police also deployed prior to completing dispersal orders. Park Police did not explain why the operation began before

900-583: A graveyard, a zoo, a slave market, an encampment for soldiers during the War of 1812 , and many political protests and celebrations. Andrew Jackson Downing landscaped Lafayette Square in 1851 in the picturesque style. Lafayette Square is surrounded by buildings dating back to the early 19th century, and are in a variety of styles. Due to their proximity to the nation's centers of power, many of them have significance of their own, and are independently listed as National Historic Landmarks. The west side of Lafayette Square

990-533: A national furor, resulting in several investigations. The incident has been described as a " Kafkaesque nightmare," a "debacle," and "one of the worst cases of its kind." Chong subsequently sued the DEA; the government settled the suit for $ 4.1 million. On August 12, 2013, at the American Bar Association 's House of Delegates meeting, Attorney General Eric Holder announced the "Smart on Crime" program, which

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1080-702: A particular investigation or trafficking group. These programs ended in the early 2000s. The DEA Special Operations Division ( SOD ) is a division within the DEA, which forwards information from wiretaps, intercepts, and databases from various sources to federal agents and local law enforcement officials. The SOD came under scrutiny following the 2010s global surveillance disclosures . The Domestic Cannabis Eradication / Suppression Program ( DCE / SP ) began funding eradication programs in Hawaii and California in 1979. The program rapidly expanded to include programs in 25 states by 1982. By 1985, all 50 states were participating in

1170-475: A portion of the original L'Enfant Plan for the city's core. It includes the 7-acre (2.8 ha) Lafayette Square portion of President's Park , all of the buildings facing it except the White House , and the buildings flanking the White House to the east and west. The district was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1970. Washington, D.C. was designated as the site for the United States capital in

1260-491: A single marijuana plant. Federal documents obtained by journalist Drew Atkins detail the DEA's continuing efforts to spend upwards of $ 14 million per year to completely eradicate marijuana within the United States despite the government funding allocation reports showing that the Marijuana Eradication Program often leads to the discovery of no marijuana plants. This prompted twelve members of Congress to push for

1350-418: A three-year license was $ 551. Some have likened this approach to license fees unreasonable, "like making pilot licenses support the entire Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) budget." The renewal fee for 2020 as of October 1, 2020, is $ 888 for a three-year license. In 2005, the DEA estimated that it had over 4,000 informants without which they "could not effectively enforce the controlled substances laws of

1440-537: A total of 10 more hours of live fire training on their issued sidearm, to further aid them in helping pass the pistol qualification. After passing their pistol qualification, Basic Agent Trainees move on to receive formal training on the DEA's standard-issue long guns and will continue to frequently shoot the agency-issued sidearms that they have already qualified on. In all, BATs receive a total of 32 firearms training sessions, when combining classroom instruction, gear issue, and pistol, rifle, and shotgun live fire training at

1530-425: A two-day (16-hour) proficiency course to carry a shoulder weapon on enforcement operations. They may carry a Rock River LAR-15 or LWRC carbine as authorized, personally-owned weapons, provided they meet the same training and proficiency standards. In 2005, the DEA seized a reported $ 1.4 billion in drug trade related assets and $ 477 million worth of drugs. According to the White House's Office of Drug Control Policy ,

1620-414: A widely announced curfew as requested by DC Police. The OIG report further stated that the Park Police's orders to disperse were not heard by all of the crowd and were generally ineffective. The OIG report stated that the evidence obtained by the OIG concerning Park Police "did not support a finding" that Trump's visit was the reason why the park was cleared. The OIG report concluded that the decision to clear

1710-615: Is Jackson Place . It is lined by a series of townhouses that were built in the mid-to-late 19th century. The two at the southern end are part of the Blair House complex for visiting dignitaries; one of these, the Peter Parker House , is a National Historic Landmark. 734 Jackson Place is also known as the American Peace Society house , and 736 Jackson Place was a temporary residence of 26th President Theodore Roosevelt while

1800-407: Is inelastic ; the people who are buying drugs will continue to buy them with little regard to price, often turning to crime to support expensive drug habits when the drug prices rise. One recent study by the DEA showed that the price of cocaine and methamphetamine is the highest it has ever been while the quality of both is at its lowest point ever. This is contrary to a collection of data done by

1890-522: Is "a sweeping initiative by the Justice Department that in effect renounces several decades of tough-on-crime anti-drug legislation and policies." Holder said the program "will encourage U.S. attorneys to charge defendants only with crimes "for which the accompanying sentences are better suited to their individual conduct, rather than excessive prison terms more appropriate for violent criminals or drug kingpins..." Running through Holder's statements,

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1980-513: Is assisted by a deputy administrator, the chief of operations, the chief inspector, and three assistant administrators (for the Operations Support, Intelligence, and Human Resources divisions). Other senior staff includes the chief financial officer and the chief counsel. The administrator and deputy administrator are the only presidentially appointed personnel in the DEA; all other DEA officials are career government employees. DEA's headquarters

2070-648: Is flanked on the north by H Street . From west to east, the buildings lining the street are the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Building , the Hay–Adams Hotel , St. John's Episcopal Church , the Ashburton House , and the headquarters of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs . Madison Place lines Lafayette Square to the east. Buildings facing it include the Howard T. Markey National Courts Building ,

2160-752: Is known about DEA SRT capabilities and its operator selection process. In the past, DEA had other tactical teams like the High-risk Entry Apprehension Teams ( HEAT ) in some Field Divisions, and Operation Snowcap Teams (predecessor of FAST). The teams administered by the Mobile Enforcement Section, the Mobile Enforcement Teams ( MET ), and Regional Enforcement Teams ( RET ), were mobile investigative units intended to deploy resources to state and local agencies (MET) or DEA Field Divisions (RET) in need of assistance with

2250-656: Is located in Arlington County, Virginia , across from The Pentagon . It maintains its own DEA Academy located on the Marine Corps Base Quantico at Quantico, Virginia , alongside the FBI Academy . As of 2024 , it maintains 241 domestic offices in 23 divisions, and 93 foreign offices in 69 countries. With a budget exceeding $ 3 billion, DEA employs 10,169 people, including 4,924 Special Agents and 800 Intelligence Analysts. c.  2015 its headquarters and

2340-475: Is mainly supplied from Western Asia (from Afghanistan and neighboring countries), and less likely to be contaminated with fentanyl. In North America, there are now fewer deaths involving heroin than either meth or cocaine, a striking change that has taken place over the last two years as heroin has all but disappeared from some regions. Due to the absence of heroin from Asian sources, fentanyl-laced heroin powder or tablets have filled that void. In October 2021,

2430-669: Is part of the Homeland Security Department . Interior OIG investigators did not interview Secret Service or White House personnel. As a result, the OIG report stated that OIG "cannot assess whether" Barr's visit to the park or any planned movement by Trump "influenced the Secret Service's actions, including its early deployment on to H Street." In 2020, Joseph V. Cuffari , the DHS Inspector General , blocked recommendations from his staff to conduct an investigation into

2520-581: Is to ensure that these "controlled substances" are readily available for medical use while preventing their distribution for illicit distribution and non-medical use. This can be a difficult task, sometimes providing difficulty for legitimate patients and healthcare providers while circumventing illegal trade and consumption of scheduled drugs. Under federal law, all businesses which manufacture or distribute controlled drugs, all health professionals entitled to dispense, administer or prescribe them, and all pharmacies entitled to fill prescriptions must register with

2610-513: The Andrew Jackson statue . In 1879, they were fitted with metal pans which allowed them to be used as flower pots. The park was redesigned in 1936, and the urns were moved to their current location. Drug Enforcement Administration The Drug Enforcement Administration ( DEA ) is a United States federal law enforcement agency under the U.S. Department of Justice tasked with combating illicit drug trafficking and distribution within

2700-683: The Benjamin Ogle Tayloe House , the Cutts-Madison House , and the Freedman's Bank Building . Flanking the White House on the east side is the Treasury Building . Two urns reside on the south side of the district, between Jackson Place and Madison Place. They each stand at 5 feet tall by 4 feet wide, and are made of bronze with granite bases. The sides of the urns are decorated with classical female figures. The urns were part of

2790-620: The Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs (BNDD), the Office of Drug Abuse Law Enforcement (ODALE); approximately 600 Special Agents of the Bureau of Customs, Customs Agency Service, and other federal offices merged to create the DEA. The DEA is the primary federal agency charged with implementing and enforcing the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), which is Title II of a larger Federal Act called

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2880-555: The Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970 . The DEA is responsible for drugs listed in the CSA's five drug Schedules, categories that rank drugs by their potential for harm, and whether they have a medical use. The CSA seeks to ensure legitimate access to controlled pharmaceuticals, while preventing illicit use of controlled drugs. To these ends, the DEA implements two intersecting legal schemes created by

2970-456: The D.C. Metropolitan Police was not involved in the initial advance of police against the crowd, MPD officers fired tear gas at demonstrators as they moved away from the park toward 17th Street. A report by the U.S. Department of Interior Office of Inspector General (OIG), released in June 2021, was limited to examining the Park Police under its jurisdiction. It concluded that the Park Police action

3060-622: The DEA Museum were in 503,776 square feet (46,802.3 m ) in Lincoln Place, a rented office building in Pentagon City in Arlington County, Virginia . In September 2018 this lease was scheduled to end. The General Services Administration (GSA), circa 2015, was checking to see where in Northern Virginia the DEA could be headquartered. In 2018 the government of the United States extended

3150-538: The Federal Bureau of Investigation , which in 2005 considered relaxing its hiring policy relevant to individual drug-use history. The DEA Aviation Division or Office of Aviation Operations ( OA ) (formerly Aviation Section ) is an airborne division based in Perot Field Fort Worth Alliance Airport, Texas . The current OA fleet consists of 106 aircraft and 124 DEA pilots. The DEA shares

3240-464: The Great Depression era, and her former home became an office building. Today's plan for the park dates from the 1930s. The park has five large statues. In the center stands Clark Mills ' equestrian statue of President Andrew Jackson , erected in 1853; it is the first bronze statue cast in the United States. In the four corners are statues of foreign Revolutionary War heroes: Lafayette Square

3330-612: The Treasury Building and grounds. In 1804, President Thomas Jefferson had Pennsylvania Avenue cut through the park and separated what would become Lafayette Square from the White House grounds. In 1824, that north side square including the park was officially renamed in honor of the Marquis de Lafayette , the French general whose involvement was indispensable in securing victory in the American Revolutionary War . Named in honor of

3420-511: The Wayback Machine along with medical professionals, researchers and manufacturers access to " Schedule I " drugs, as well as Schedules 2, 3, 4 and 5. Authorized registrants apply for and, if granted, receive a " DEA number ". An entity that has been issued a DEA number is authorized to manufacture (drug companies), distribute research, prescribe (doctors, pharmacists , nurse practitioners and physician assistants, etc.), or dispense (pharmacy)

3510-455: The murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis ; Lafayette Square and surrounding city streets were forcefully evicted of protesters , reporters, and clergy by police in riot gear using tear gas and clubbing them with batons. A day after the incident, a DOJ official said that U.S. Attorney General William Barr had personally ordered the park and surrounding areas to be cleared which resulted in

3600-404: The 1790 Residence Act , with authority given to President George Washington to ready the capital for the government by 1800. Planned by Pierre Charles L'Enfant as part of the pleasure grounds surrounding the Executive Mansion, this square was originally called "President's Park", which is now the name of the larger National Park Service unit under which it is administered, which also includes

3690-539: The American government as a drug with a potential for addiction. During this time, several public hearings on the new drug were held by the DEA. Based on all of the evidence and facts presented at the time, the DEA's administrative law judge did not see MDMA and its analogues as being of large concern and recommended that they be placed in Schedule III. The DEA administrator, expressing concern for addictive potential, overruled

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3780-400: The CSA, registration provisions for entities involved in legal activities, violations of which are not usually criminal offenses, and trafficking provisions for illegal activities, violations of which are criminal offenses. From the early 1970s, DEA headquarters was located at 1405 I ("Eye") Street NW in downtown Washington, D.C. With the overall growth of the agency in the 1980s (owing to

3870-496: The DCE/SP. In 2015, the DCE/SP was responsible for the eradication of 3,932,201 cultivated outdoor cannabis plants and 325,019 indoor plants for a total of 4,257,220 marijuana plants. In addition, the DCE/SP accounted for 6,278 arrests and the seizure in excess of $ 29.7 million of cultivator assets. In 2014, the DEA spent $ 73,000 to eradicate marijuana plants in Utah, though they did not find

3960-637: The DEA Academy. They will shoot the qualification courses for all three weapons systems during their initial training but must pass their final qualification attempts only on their Glock pistols to become a Special Agent. Agents are trained to use shoulder-fired weapons, such as the Rock River LAR-15, adopted in 2004, and the LWRC M6A2 , the standard carbine of DEA. The Colt 9mm SMG was previously issued, but no longer in service. Agents are required to complete

4050-453: The DEA helped harbor Nicaraguan drug traffickers. Notably, they allowed Oscar Danilo Blandón political asylum in the USA despite knowledge of his cocaine-trafficking organization. The government of Bolivia has also taken similar steps to ban the DEA from operating in the country. In September 2008, Bolivia drastically reduced diplomatic ties with the United States, withdrawing its ambassador from

4140-475: The DEA should focus much more on prescription opiates used recreationally, which critics contend comes first before users switch to heroin. Practitioners who legally prescribe medicine however must possess a valid DEA license. According to federal law, the budget of the DEA Diversion Control Program is to be paid by these license fees. In 1984 a three-year license cost $ 25. In 2009 the fee for

4230-548: The DEA. Registrants must comply with a series of regulatory requirements relating to drug security, records accountability, and adherence to standards. All of these investigations are conducted by Diversion Investigators (DIs). DIs conduct investigations to uncover and investigate suspected sources of diversion and take appropriate civil and administrative actions. Prescription Database Management Programs (PDMP) aid and facilitate investigation and surveillance. In 2019 and 2020, record overdoses from illicit fentanyl tablets or as

4320-524: The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Exceptions to this policy may be made for applicants who admit to limited youthful and experimental use of marijuana . Such applicants may be considered for employment if there is no evidence of regular, confirmed usage and the full-field background investigation and results of the other steps in the process are otherwise favorable. The DEA's relatively firm stance on this issue contrasts with that of

4410-589: The Office of National Drug Control Policy, which states that purity of street drugs has increased, while price has decreased. In contrast to the statistics presented by the DEA, the United States Department of Justice released data in 2003 showing that purity of methamphetamine was on the rise. The DEA has a registration system in place which authorizes anyone to manufacture, import, export, and distribute by filing DEA form 225 Archived November 8, 2015, at

4500-520: The Secret Service's actions in the clearing of Lafayette Square. On June 22, 2020, demonstrators attempted to tear down the statue of Andrew Jackson at the center of the square. Following this incident, Lafayette Square was closed to the public. It was reopened on May 10, 2021. Lafayette Square Historic District, Washington, D.C. The Lafayette Square Historic District is a National Historic Landmark District in Washington, D.C. , encompassing

4590-508: The Secretary of Health and Human Services recommends against it on a scientific or medical basis, and no drug can be placed in the most restrictive schedule ( Schedule I ) if DHHS finds that the drug has an accepted medical use. Jon Gettman 's essay Science and the End of Marijuana Prohibition describes the DEA as "a fall guy to deflect responsibility from the key decision-makers" and opines, "HHS calls

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4680-467: The U.S. It is the lead agency for domestic enforcement of the Controlled Substances Act , sharing concurrent jurisdiction with the Federal Bureau of Investigation , the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement , and U.S. Customs and Border Protection . However, the DEA has sole responsibility for coordinating and pursuing U.S. drug investigations both domestically and internationally. It

4770-636: The U.S. government's War on Drugs and that many benefits of such substances remain unrecognized due to the difficulty of conducting scientific research. A counterpoint to that criticism is that under the Controlled Substances Act it is the Department of Health and Human Services (through the Food and Drug Administration and the National Institute on Drug Abuse ), not the DEA, which has the legal responsibility to make scientific and medical determinations with respect to drug scheduling; no drug can be scheduled if

4860-525: The US and expelling the US ambassador from Bolivia. This occurred soon after Bolivian president Evo Morales expelled all DEA agents from the country due to a revolt in the traditional coca-growing Chapare Province . The Bolivian government claimed that it could not protect the agents, and Morales further accused the agency of helping incite the violence, which claimed 30 lives. National agencies were to take over control of drug management. Three years later, Bolivia and

4950-505: The US began to restore full diplomatic ties. However, Morales maintained that the DEA would remain unwelcome in the country, characterising it as an affront to Bolivia's "dignity and sovereignty". In the Netherlands, both the Dutch government and the DEA have been criticized for violations of Dutch sovereignty in drug investigations. According to Peter R. de Vries , a Dutch journalist present at

5040-576: The US reported another record in fentanyl deaths, as federal agencies were unable to stem the tide of illicit, synthetic drugs entering the US. Originally, introduced to replace much of the white powder heroin in the Eastern United States, the drug continues to move further west. Between July 2019–December 2020, illicitly manufactured fentanyl involved deaths increased sharply in midwestern (33.1%), southern (64.7%), and western (93.9%) jurisdictions. In 1985 MDMA and its analogues were under review by

5130-467: The United States exceeded 100,000 over this time period, with 64.0% of deaths involving synthetic opioids other than methadone (the same illicitly manufactured fentanyls and analogs). In contrast, Europe has seen a decrease from heroin overdoses, and a practical absence of illicit, synthetic opioids. Fentanyl, originally developed in the 1970s by Janssen Pharmaceutica , is a potent anesthetic primarily used in hospital or hospice settings. In Europe, heroin

5220-461: The United States. United States federal law registers cannabis as a Schedule I drug. In April 2012 in San Diego, California , DEA agents detained a student, Daniel Chong, and left him locked in a holding room for five days. The cell contained no food, water or bathroom facilities. When he was found, he had to be hospitalized for several days for a variety of medical problems. The incident touched off

5310-499: The United States." To gather information, agents permitted their informants to buy and sell drugs, engage in Medicaid fraud rings, and other illicit acts. Despite this, the DEA claims that they are "in compliance" with the rules for using informants to gather information about illicit activities. The total budget of the DEA from 1972 to 2014, according to the agency website, was $ 50.6 billion. The agency had 11,055 employees in 2014. For

5400-573: The White House underwent renovation in 1902. 748 Jackson Place, at the north end of the block, is called the Decatur House ; it is a prominent surviving design of Benjamin Henry Latrobe . Flanking the White House on the west side is the Eisenhower Executive Office Building , constructed 1871–1888, as the State, War and Navy Department Building, once the world's largest office building. Lafayette Square

5490-494: The agency. In 2007, after the U.S. State Department criticized Venezuela in its annual report on drug trafficking, the Venezuelan Minister of Justice reiterated the accusations: "A large quantity of drug shipments left the country through that organization. We were in the presence of a new drug cartel ." In his 1996 series of articles and subsequent 1999 book , both titled Dark Alliance, journalist Gary Webb asserts that

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5580-559: The building, metal detectors and guard stations. In February 2003, the DEA established a Digital Evidence Laboratory within its Office of Forensic Sciences. The DEA is headed by an Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration appointed by the president of the United States and confirmed by the U.S. Senate . The Administrator reports to the Attorney General through the Deputy Attorney General . The administrator

5670-559: The clandestine nature of the DEA mission, SRT training protocols and activation requirements are highly sensitive and not available to the public. Some of the SRT missions consist of high-risk arrests, vehicle assaults, air assault/infiltration, specialized surveillance, custody of high-profile individuals, dignitary and witness protection, tactical surveillance and interdiction, advanced breaching, tactical training to other police units, and urban and rural fugitive searches. Covertly located throughout

5760-490: The dead were 28 foreign nationals from 10 countries. One attacker was captured. The bodies of many of the dead hostages showed signs of torture or disfigurement. A number of those killed were notable figures in business, media, and security services. The DEA was accused in 2005 by the Venezuelan government of collaborating with drug traffickers, after which President Hugo Chávez decided to end any collaboration with

5850-570: The early and mid-19th century, the buildings around the square included the homes of Washington's most prominent residents, including William Wilson Corcoran , Martin van Buren , Henry Clay , Dolley Madison , John Hay , and Henry Adams . In 1851, Andrew Jackson Downing was commissioned by President Millard Fillmore to landscape Lafayette Square in the picturesque style. On February 27, 1859, US Representative Daniel Sickles killed Philip Barton Key II in Lafayette Square. Key had come to

5940-539: The elimination of the program and use the money instead to fund domestic-violence prevention and deficit-reduction programs. In 2018, the DEA budget was $ 2.086 billion. $ 445 million was spent on international enforcement and $ 1.627 billion was spent on domestic enforcement. DEA agents' primary service weapons are the Glock 17 and Glock 19 , Remington 870 12-gauge shotgun, and Rock River Arms LAR-15 semi-automatic carbine in 5.56×45mm NATO . Agents may also qualify to carry

6030-692: The firearms qualification test, successfully demonstrate leadership and sound decision-making in practical scenarios, and pass rigorous physical-task tests. Upon graduation, recruits earn the title of DEA Special Agent. The DEA excludes from consideration job applicants who have a history of any use of narcotics or illicit drugs. Investigation usually includes a polygraph test for special-agent, diversion-investigator, and intelligence research specialist positions. Applicants who are found, through investigation or personal admission, to have experimented with or used narcotics or dangerous drugs, except those medically prescribed, will not be considered for employment with

6120-404: The grounds of the White House and The Ellipse . The square was separated from the White House grounds in 1804, when third President Thomas Jefferson had Pennsylvania Avenue cut through east to west. In 1824, it was officially renamed in honor of the Marquis de Lafayette , the Frenchman who fought in the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783). Lafayette Square has been used as a racetrack,

6210-513: The headquarters relocated to 600–700 Army-Navy Drive in the Pentagon City area of Arlington County, Virginia, near the eponymous Metro station . On April 19, 1995, Timothy McVeigh carried out a terrorist attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City . He was targeting regional offices for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and DEA, all of which had carried out raids that he viewed as unjustified intrusions on

6300-483: The hybrid creation of specialized tactical units residing within various geographical regions throughout the United States. DEA officially created and standardized its Special Response Team ( SRT ) program in 2016. The SRT was designed as a stop-gap between tactical operations conducted by field agents and those necessitating specialized tactics as a result of elevated risks. SRT operators are highly trained in various weapons systems and entry tactics/maneuvers. Because of

6390-440: The increased emphasis on federal drug law enforcement efforts) and concurrent growth in the headquarters staff, the DEA began to search for a new headquarters location; locations in Arkansas , Mississippi and various abandoned military bases around the United States were considered. However, then– Attorney General Edwin Meese determined that the headquarters had to be located close to the Attorney General's office. Thus, in 1989,

6480-515: The increasing economic burden of over-incarceration was stressed. As of August 2013 , the Smart on Crime program is not a legislative initiative but an effort "limited to the DOJ's policy parameters." David Coleman Headley (born Daood Sayed Gilani, June 30, 1960) who was working as an informant for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) simultaneously made periodic trips to Pakistan for LeT training and

6570-677: The lease at Lincoln Place, now to expire circa 2033. The DEA administration favored retaining the original location. As of 2017, there were 4,650 special agents employed by the Drug Enforcement Administration. DEA agents' starting salary is $ 49,746–$ 55,483. After four years, the salary rises to above $ 92,592. After receiving a conditional offer of employment, recruits must then complete an 18-week rigorous training which includes lessons in firearms proficiency (including basic marksmanship), weapons safety, tactical shooting, and deadly-force decision training. To graduate, students must maintain an academic average of 80 percent on academic examinations, pass

6660-515: The most challenging handgun qualification courses in all of the federal law enforcement. Failure to achieve a passing qualification score is the reason for most Academy dismissals and special agents in the field may have their authority to carry a firearm revoked for failure to qualify. Basic Agent Trainees (BATs) who fail the initial pistol qualification course of fire are placed in a remedial program to receive additional training. In remedial training, BATs receive five extra two-hour range sessions, for

6750-407: The nation, DEA SRT teams are available to respond to practically any CONUS geographical area with little to no preparation or notification. The DEA SRT has been involved in several high-profile operations in recent years, however, DEA involvement is often not publicized due to operational and intelligence considerations. Considered one of the most covert outfits in federal law enforcement, very little

6840-439: The naval war hero Commodore Steven Decatur, the Decatur House borders Lafayette Square. Used for slave trading, the house remains as one of few surviving examples of an urban slave market. The land on what is now Lafayette Square was formerly used at various times as "a racetrack, a graveyard, a zoo, a slave market , an encampment for soldiers during the War of 1812 , and the site of many political protests and celebrations." In

6930-463: The original park plan as designed by Andrew Jackson Downing in 1852. They may have been designed by Downing, or his assistant Calvert Vaux . The urns were cast in a New York foundry at the orders of George M. Robeson , who was Secretary of the United States Navy at the time. The urns were originally placed on granite bases in the center of two small flower beds to the east and west sides of

7020-456: The park for an affair with Sickles's wife, only to be discovered and killed by Sickles. In the 20th century, the area around the square became less residential, with buildings increasingly occupied by offices and professional groups, especially in the 1920s, and the construction of the Treasury Annex . The last resident, Mary Chase Morris of the O'Toole House ( 730 Jackson Place ), died during

7110-475: The park was lawful and consistent with Interior's policy, but made no conclusions on whether the decision to clear the park was a good decision, nor did the OIG report make any conclusions about whether the police use of force was appropriate. The OIG report focused on the role of Park Police (which is part of the Interior Department), and not on the role of other agencies, such as the Secret Service, which

7200-524: The park. The squirrels' large numbers were sustained because the public overfed the squirrels and also because nestboxes had been once been installed and maintained by the National Park Service . In 1985 and 1987, the issue was solved by a project in which the nest boxes were removed and many squirrels were captured and relocated away from Lafayette Square, to Fort Dupont Park and elsewhere. In 1989, Drug Enforcement Administration agents arranged

7290-547: The recommendation and ruled that MDMA be put in Schedule I, the Controlled Substances Act 's most restrictive category. The following is a listing of the rank structure found within the DEA (in ascending order): The DEA has been criticized for placing highly restrictive schedules on a few drugs that researchers in the fields of pharmacology and medicine regard as having medical uses. Critics assert that some such decisions are motivated primarily by political factors stemming from

7380-524: The rights of the people. This attack caused the deaths of two DEA employees, one task force member and two contractors in the Oklahoma City bombing . Subsequently, the DEA headquarters complex was classified as a Level IV installation under United States federal building security standards, meaning it was to be considered a high-risk law enforcement target for terrorists. Security measures include hydraulic steel roadplates to enforce standoff distance from

7470-470: The shots when it comes to marijuana prohibition, and the cops at DEA and the general over at ONDCP take the heat." The DEA is also criticized for focusing on the operations from which it can seize the most money, namely the organized cross-border trafficking of marijuana . Some individuals contemplating the nature of the DEA's charter advise that, based on danger, the DEA should be most focused on cocaine. Others suggest that, based on opiate popularity,

7560-549: The total value of all of the drugs sold in the U.S. is as much as $ 64 billion a year, giving the DEA an efficiency rate of less than 1% at intercepting the flow of drugs into and within the United States. Critics of the DEA (including recipient of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences , Milton Friedman , prior to his death a member of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition ) point out that demand for illegal drugs

7650-736: The year 2014 the average cost per arrest made was $ 97,325. Others, such as former Republican congressman Ron Paul, the Cato Institute , The Libertarian Party and the Drug Policy Alliance criticize the very existence of the DEA and the War on Drugs as both hostile, and contrary, to the concept of civil liberties by arguing that anybody should be free to put any substance they choose into their own bodies for any reason, particularly when legal drugs such as alcohol, tobacco and prescription drugs are also open to addiction, and that any harm caused by

7740-521: Was a popular cruising spot for gay men until the 1950s Lavender scare . In the 1960s, Lafayette Square became more noted for its use as a protest location. Protests related to nuclear weapons, Israel, and the Vietnam War were held there. In the 1970s, the park was overrun with a large Eastern gray squirrel population, possibly "the highest density of squirrels ever recorded in scientific literature," which eventually destroyed many trees and flowers in

7830-559: Was established in 1973 as part of the U.S. government's war on drugs . The DEA has an intelligence unit that is also a member of the U.S. Intelligence Community . While the unit is part of the DEA chain-of-command, it also reports to the Director of National Intelligence . The DEA has been criticized for scheduling drugs that have medicinal uses, and for focusing on operations that allow it to seize money rather than those involving drugs that cause more harm. The Drug Enforcement Administration

7920-404: Was established on July 1, 1973, by Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1973, signed by President Richard Nixon on July 28. It proposed the creation of a single federal agency to enforce the federal drug laws as well as consolidate and coordinate the government's drug control activities. Congress accepted the proposal, as they were concerned with the growing availability of drugs. As a result,

8010-598: Was one of the main conspirators in the 2008 Mumbai attacks . On January 24, 2013, Headley, then 52 years old, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in Chicago to 35 years in prison for his part in the 2008 Mumbai attacks, in which at least 164 victims (civilians and security personnel) and nine attackers were killed. Among

8100-465: Was part of a plan to install "antiscale fencing" and that these plans were made before Barr arrived on the scene at 6:10 p.m. and before Trump walked to the church. However, Park Police commanders could not agree on who gave the order to deploy or explain why radio transmissions were not recorded. The OIG report found that, contrary to the Park Police operational plan, the Secret Service began their operation at 6:16 p.m., soon after Barr arrived and

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