Law Enforcement Occupation Explanation

Employee groups that are "law enforcement officers" for the purpose of retirement under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and the Federal Employees' Retirement System (FERS)

In general, the term law enforcement officer in the retirement statutes means an employee "the duties of whose positions are primarily the investigation, apprehension, or detention of persons suspected or convicted of offenses against the criminal laws of the United States…", per 5 U.S.C. §8331(20) and 5 U.S.C. §8401(17). The statutory definition of law enforcement officer also includes an employee who moves directly to a supervisory or administrative law enforcement officer position from a frontline or "primary" law enforcement officer position (i.e., a position the primary duties of which are "investigation, apprehension, or detention of persons suspected or convicted of offenses against the criminal laws of the United States…"), per definitions of primary and secondary positions at 5 CFR 831.902 and 5 CFR 842.802.

Because law enforcement officer coverage is determined on a position-by-position basis, it is not possible to produce a definitive list of occupations that are covered as law enforcement positions. The attached list provides a general listing of covered law enforcement officer and non-covered law enforcement officer's occupations but it is not all inclusive.

If you have any questions as to whether or not your service was covered under the LEO provisions; please email us at edsa@opm.gov You may also call us at 1(888) 767-6738.

Covered Law Enforcement Officers Occupations

Positions that typically qualify as Law Enforcement Officer Positions under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and the Federal Employees' Retirement System (FERS)

• Border Patrol agents;
• Correctional Officers or Prison Support Staff working for Bureau of the Prisons, and Federal Prison Industries, Inc.; employees of the Public Health Service assigned to the Bureau of the Prisons, or Federal Prison Industries, Inc.; or civilian employees in the field service at the Army or Navy disciplinary barracks or at confinement facilities operated by any of the armed forces who are engaged in the detention of prisoners (i.e., Prison Correctional Officers, and employees in frequent direct contact with prisoners);
• Criminal Investigators;
• Customs Investigators;
• Deputy U.S. Marshals;
• FBI special agents;
• Federal Probation and Parole Officers;
• Instructors at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center(FLETC) (covered as secondary LEO positions);
• Law Enforcement Park Rangers;
• Office of the Inspector General investigators in various agencies;
• Park Police (Only if covered under FERS);
• Secret Service Agents (Only if covered under FERS);
• Secret Service Uniformed Division (Only if covered under FERS);
• TSA Federal Air Marshals;
• U.S. Marshals.

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Non - Covered Law Enforcement Officer's Occupation

Positions that typically do not qualify As Law Enforcement Officer Positions under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and the Federal Employees' Retirement System (FERS)

• Assistant U.S. Attorneys;
• Bureau of Engraving and Printing Police;
• DEA Diversion Investigators;
• DHS Federal Protective Service;
• DOD Police;
• GPO Police;
• Guards at Government buildings or other facilities;
• IRS Revenue Officers;
• Mint Police;
• Secret Service Special Officers;
• VA Police.