Deputy Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration

In fiscal 2016, the DEA had a budget of $2.109 billion and 6,587 employees.³ The agency has an international aspect to it.

The DEA deputy administrator manages and oversees functions of the department as directed by the DEA administrator. The deputy administrator and administrator should work together to figure out the specifics of each of their roles. In many cases, the deputy administrator serves more as a chief operating officer for the department. The department functions that the deputy administrator may help manage include:
• Enforcing the controlled substances laws and regulations of the United States and bringing to the U.S. criminal and civil justice system — or any other competent jurisdiction — those organizations and principal members of organizations involved in the growing, manufacture or distribution of controlled substances in, or destined for, illicit traffic in the United States
• Recommending and supporting non-enforcement programs aimed at reducing the availability of illicit controlled substances on the domestic and international markets
• Directing and supervising the investigation and preparation for the prosecution of major violators of controlled substance laws operating at interstate and international levels
• Investigating and preparing for prosecution of criminals and drug gangs that perpetrate violence in communities and terrorize citizens through fear and intimidation
• Managing a national drug intelligence program in cooperation with federal, state, local and foreign officials to collect, analyze and disseminate strategic and operational drug intelligence information
• Seizing and forfeiting assets derived from, traceable to or intended to be used for illicit drug trafficking
• Enforcing the provision of the Controlled Substances Act on mutual drug enforcement efforts, in coordination and cooperation with federal, state and local law enforcement officials; and enhancing such efforts by exploiting potential interstate and international investigations beyond local or limited federal jurisdictions and resources
• Coordinating and cooperating with federal, state and local agencies, as well as with foreign governments, on programs designed to reduce the availability of illicit, abuse-type drugs on the U.S. market, through non-enforcement methods such as crop eradication, crop substitution and training of foreign officials
• Overseeing, under the policy guidance of the secretary of state and U.S. ambassadors, all programs associated with drug law-enforcement counterparts in foreign countries, and liaising with the United Nations, Interpol and other organization on matters relating to international drug control programs⁴

[Depends on the policy priorities of the administration.]