DCI Internship Opportunities

The Division of Criminal Investigation Internship program is not accepting applications until further notice. 

 

The Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) provides investigative support and services to law enforcement agencies.  DCI special agents and criminal analysts investigate crimes that are of statewide nature, importance, or influence.

 

The Division of Criminal Investigation is structured as follows:

 

Arson Bureau – The Office of the State Fire Marshal is charged with the investigation of fires of a suspected incendiary nature, fires that result in the loss of life, and explosions of suspected criminal origins.

 

Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force Program– The Wisconsin ICAC Task Force is a statewide task force, managed by the Division of Criminal investigation, that provides investigative resources, victim services, public outreach, and national reporting on the online sexual exploitation of children in the state of Wisconsin. The ICAC Task Force Program works with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) and interfaces with over 300 local affiliate partners in the state. This internship position will work closely with the ICAC Program for the state of Wisconsin.

 

Field Operations Bureau – Special agents within the Field Operations Bureau are assigned to investigations relating to:

  • Financial and Gaming Crimes – Investigation relating to identity theft, antitrust violations and other economic crime.  Investigation of gaming-related crime aimed at protecting the public interest and the integrity of games of chance played in the state.
  • Narcotics – Investigation and enforcement of state and federal controlled substance laws.
  • Public Integrity – Investigation of public employees or other governmental entities.
  • Major Crimes – Investigation including suspicious deaths, “cold” cases, officer-involved deaths, missing persons, organized crime.
  • ICAC - Investigation of the online sexual exploitation of children. This is the investigative area of the ICAC Task Force.

Special agents in all of the above focus areas are located throughout Wisconsin at five regional offices.

 

​DCI interns assist special agents with case-related and investigative duties. These duties may include execution of search warrants, surveillance, records review, and intelligence and information gathering.  Traditionally, interns assigned to these bureaus are completing course work in criminal justice or related fields.  Typically, interns are assigned to a particular office rather than a particular bureau or focus area, as needs dictate.

 

 

Wisconsin Statewide Intelligence Center (WSIC)

The Wisconsin Statewide Intelligence Center is the primary intelligence fusion center for the State of Wisconsin. WSIC collaborates with several outside partners and takes an "all crimes, all hazards, all threats" approach. WSIC is located in the Madison area.

 

Interns assigned to WSIC can support a variety of functions, including but not limited to various homeland security-specific tasks, criminal intelligence analysis, investigative functions, and criminal case support. The WSIC operates within four units:

  • Violent Crimes Unit provides criminal case support on drug cases, death investigations, officer involved shootings, arson, as well as other violent crime investigations.
  • Missing and Exploited Persons Unit houses AMBER Alert, Crime Alert, Silver Alert, as well as case support to missing persons, death investigations, Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC), and human trafficking investigations. It also includes the Child Abduction Response Team (CART).
  • Cyber and Financial Crimes Unit provides intelligence and criminal case support related to cyber, financial, and other high-tech crimes. It is responsible for WSIC's Cyber Liaison Officer program, as well as cyber incident reporting. Cyber and Financial Crimes Unit (CFCU) provides intelligence and investigative support related to high-technology crimes. The CFCU works closely with a wide variety of partners to detect and prevent malicious activity directed against networks in Wisconsin. The CFCU supports cyber incident response and conducts malware analysis where appropriate. The CFCU is in the process of building a cyber lab to assist with intelligence and malware analysis, as well as conducting high-technology training.
  • Threat Analysis Unit maintains the Threat Liaison Officer/Fusion Liaison Officer and Joint Terrorism Task Force programs. It oversees suspicious activity reporting, conducts threat assessments, and writes strategic intelligence products for this unit and other units. It is responsible for key stakeholders, as well as exercise planning and partnership engagement.

Students majoring in Computer Science, Criminal Justice, English, Homeland Security, Information Technology, Legal Studies,  Political Science, Social Work, and/or other related fields are encouraged to apply.

 

Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force program –  A network of law enforcement and non-governmental agencies dedicated to the investigation and training of issues related to internet-based crimes against children.

 

Interns assigned to the ICAC Task Force assist the director and ICAC program staff with program management duties.  The intern will monitor tools used to help track case, statistical, and affiliate information, as well as other projects as needed.  Interns will conduct online queries and are expected to have an understanding of social networking and apps, in order to help with website design, social networking account management, and newsletter development.  Knowledge of excel preferred.  Traditionally, interns with the ICAC Task Force are completing course work in administrative, business management, marketing, or other related fields.  The internship is located at the Madison Field Office.

 

Qualities and skills necessary for a successful intern:

 

  • Honesty & integrity
  • Good listener
  • Analytical
  • Leader
  • Confident
  • Team-oriented
  • Observational skills
  • Written/oral communication skills
  • Planning/organizational skills
  • Tolerance to stress
  • Reliable
  • Appropriate decision-making ability

The DCI internship program is for undergraduate students currently completing a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or college or an associate degree in criminal justice from an accredited technical college. Minimum qualifications for interested applicants include:
 

  • completed two years of higher education in a Bachelor’s program (at least 60 academic credits) or 1 year in a technical college program (at least 30 academic credits)
  • currently enrolled in university/college in a 4-year undergraduate program or a technical college in a 2-year criminal justice degree program.

  
The 60 academic credit and 4-year undergraduate requirements may be waived for any student specifically applying for a Cyber & Financial Crimes Unit internship. Waivers will only be granted to students in an accelerated Cyber, Financial Crimes, or other related program. 

 

Selected candidates will be required to pass a comprehensive background investigation prior to placement in the internship program.

 

While DCI internships are UNPAID, they provide an excellent opportunity for students to work and interact with special agents, criminal analysts, and other staff in an exciting and important mission.

 

DCI offers internship opportunities throughout the year, depending on staffing and other resources.  Spring sessions typically begin in January, summer sessions typically begin in June, and fall sessions typically begin in September.  DCI will make reasonable efforts to accommodate the academic requirements and other responsibilities of applicants.  The length of the internship is one semester (or summer) and internships cannot be extended.

 

To apply, send a current resume and cover letter to the appropriate email address(es) identified below.  In your cover letter, please indicate why you are interested in our agency, how your intended education and career path intersects with the criminal justice field, and the regional office or program for which you would like to be considered.  Also, please advise as to how many credits you will have completed as of the date of your letter (a minimum of 60 are required), as well as current GPA.

 

Please use “Internship Program” as a subject line, and send application materials (resume and cover letter, no other documents are required) to the following individual(s) based upon where you would like to be considered:

 

  • Madison Regional Office and ICAC Task Force Program – Not accepting interns at this time
  • Wisconsin Statewide Intelligence Center (Madison) – Not accepting interns at this time
  • Milwaukee Regional Office – Not accepting interns at this time
  • Appleton Regional Office – Not accepting interns at this time
  • Wausau Regional Office – Not accepting interns at this time
  • Eau Claire Regional Office – Not accepting interns at this time

 

Application Deadlines:

 

  • Summer Internship: February 15 (Please note, applications are not currently be accepted).
  • Fall Internship: June 1 (Please note, applications are not currently be accepted).
  • Spring Internship: October 1 (Please note, applications are not currently be accepted).

 

While applications received after the deadlines may be considered, only applications received before the deadlines will be guaranteed review and consideration.  Applications received after the deadlines will only be considered as operational needs and office tasks dictate.

 

Applications for the Wisconsin State Crime Lab or Division of Legal Services WILL NOT be considered, and will not be forwarded.

 

Please allow one month after the application deadline to expect to hear if you have been selected to participate in an interview.  Due to the high volume of applicants, not all applicants will be interviewed for a position.