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Hancock Field Hosts DEA Basic Narcotics School

  • Published
  • By Capt Anthony L. Bucci
  • 174FW, PAO
Hancock Field Air National Guard Base, Syracuse, NY --  On September 14th Hancock Field Air National Guard Base hosted various law enforcement agencies from the Central New York area attending the Drug Enforcement Administration's Basic Narcotics School.

The course was held over a two-week period at the 27th Brigade Headquarters located on Hancock Field ANGB; it teaches local law enforcement agents tips and techniques in the apprehension of narcotics offenders.

Special Agent Jason Daus, State & Local Training Coordinator, DEA -New York Field Division was responsible for setting up the course and for finding a facility to host the event.

"We enjoy a great relationship with Hancock Field Air National Guard Base and really do appreciate them being able to host us. Having this facility allow us to reduce the cost for conducting this course, which is important as this particular course that is sought after most by law enforcement agencies", said Daus.

"We enjoy a great relationship with our neighbors here in Central New York that relationship extends to the numerous Federal, State and Local agencies in the Greater Syracuse area", said Col. Kevin W. Bradley 174FW Commander.

"We are always ready and willing to other agencies as we can. This is a great way for us to maximize our assets, while reducing the overall costs to the taxpayers. It just makes good business sense", said Bradley.

The first week of the course is spent in the classroom covering various topics ranging from the proper handling of confidential information, interview & interrogation techniques to getting briefed from a U.S. attorney from the local area so as to be better prepared on how to properly put together their case. The law enforcement students came from various police departments across Central New York to include Utica, Rome, Syracuse and other local towns in the area. This comprehensive course is given to those in the law enforcement community who are assigned to a narcotics unit within their organization.

"The opportunity for two agencies to be able to share resources is a win-win situation for everyone. For us to be able to utilize the facilities at Hancock Field is truly a force multiplier", said Mr. James Burns, Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge DEA, Upstate New York.

The second week of training is completely hands on and those attending students put into practice the techniques they had been taught previously under the watch eye of a DEA Narcotics specialist. They practice how to trap a suspect with a vehicle, weapon & officer safety, apprehension techniques of a suspect as well as many other items.

All of the DEA instructors are volunteers; they perform this instructor duty as an additional duty to their primary responsibility as a DEA agent. Once the agent volunteers for this additional duty they have to get their supervisor's endorsement as well as the New York Field Office's approval. Each one of the instructors has to complete the Instructor Development Course, which is a one-week course held in Quantico, VA.

The Drug Enforcement Administration was created by President Richard Nixon through an Executive Order in July 1973 in order to establish a single unified command to combat "an all-out global war on the drug menace." At its outset, the DEA had 1,470 Special Agents and a budget of less than $75 million. Furthermore, in 1974, the DEA had 43 foreign offices in 31 countries. Today, the DEA has 5,235 Special Agents, a budget of more than $2.3 billion and 87 foreign offices in 63 countries.