Dea Acting Administrator Robert Pattinson | What is the DEA Acting Administrator's Role?

The DEA’s Deputy Administrator is the Acting Administrator during a period of absence or disability. This individual will assume the day-to-day responsibilities associated with administering the Agency while the Administrator is on medical leave or otherwise unable to perform their duties.

The Deputy Administrator will be considered a Caretaker Administrator until a new Deputy Administrator is nominated and sworn in. During this time the Deputy Administrator will serve as the Acting head of the Agency, assuming all the responsibilities that the Administrator holds, including supervisory responsibilities.

The Deputy Administrator is nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate. They are responsible for the day-to-day management of the Agency as well as oversight of the Agency’s Office of Policy and Planning, which is responsible for formulating the Agency’s strategic Plan.

The Deputy Administrator oversees and guides the Agency’s approximately 10,000 enforcement agents and 10,000 scientists and analysts who work together to solve major drug trafficking and DEA abuse issues. The DEA’s mission is to safeguard the nation’s health and safety by stopping drug traffickers and destroying drug labs while promoting good health and wellness through education.

Focus on Key Program Areas

The overarching principle guiding the Agency’s strategic Plan is the need to focus on the key program areas considered most critical to the successful execution of the Agency’s mission.

Law Enforcement

While the President and the Federal Government as a whole have acknowledged the critical role that law enforcement plays in stemming the tide of the opioid epidemic, they have also recognized the significant strain that this burden places on our nation’s already overburdened criminal justice system.

Law enforcement is one of the Agency’s three critical program areas. Along with research and education, the Agency’s law enforcement component implements the toughest anti-drug strategy on the federal level. Their mission is to dismantle and disrupt large-scale drug trafficking organizations while bringing down the number of overdose deaths caused by illegal drugs. To accomplish this, the Agency focuses on three key areas:

Preventing new drug abuse through prevention programming
Curtailing drug trafficking through interdiction
Establishing and maintaining public and private sector partnerships

To effectively combat the opioid epidemic, the DEA must be able to respond quickly and effectively to emerging drug abuse trends and the spread of infectious diseases caused by drug use and trafficking. One critical way that the Agency accomplishes this is through the use of confidential informants (CIs). Through the use of CIs, the Agency is able to learn of emerging trends and effectively respond. Furthermore, through the use of informants, the Agency is able to disrupt and dismantle large-scale drug trafficking organizations. Lastly, through the use of drug testing, the Agency is able to effectively intervene in cases of drug abuse, preventing overdoses and the spread of infectious diseases that could be caused by drug use.

Demand Reduction

The second of the Agency’s three critical program areas is demand reduction, which focuses on decreasing the demand for illegal drugs while increasing the demand for legal alternatives. In addition to decreasing the number of new abusers, the Agency also focuses on decreasing the number of individuals dependent on drugs who could become future abusers. This includes educating the public about the dangers of abusing drugs, raising public awareness about the availability of treatment options, and encouraging effective treatment programs among drug abusers. Effective demand reduction depends on multiple initiatives including the following:

Raising public awareness about the dangers of drug abuse
Increasing treatment options for drug abusers
Reducing the stigma associated with seeking treatment
Encouraging effective treatment programs among drug abusers
Reducing the barriers to healthcare for those dealing with drug addiction

Education

The third critical area of the Agency is education, which aims to increase public and professional awareness about the scope, harms, and dangers of substance use and drug abuse. Along with preventing new drug users and establishing and maintaining public/private sector partnerships, the DEA focuses on increasing the number of people who are aware of the dangers of drug abuse, both among those who already abuse drugs and those who may be at risk of abusing drugs. As part of this effort, the Agency educates the public about the health effects of various substances, the importance of drug testing, and the various treatment options available for those who seek help for drug abuse. The following are some of the things that the Office of Education does to raise public awareness about the dangers of drug abuse:

Distributes fact sheets to journalists, bloggers, and other media figures who cover drug issues
Publishes op-ed pieces advocating for drug testing and treating substance use disorders
Establishes and maintains public/private sector partnerships with organizations and agencies that share our goal of preventing drug abuse
Conducts university lectures on topics relevant to drug abuse prevention
Distributes educational films and videos to journalists, bloggers, and other media figures who cover drug issues

Research

Finally, the Office of Research and Analysis supports the DEA’s critical efforts by providing information and evidence-based analysis that will help the Agency to make more informed decisions about its strategy and programs. Within this office, scientists and analysts formulate and analyze policy and conduct studies to inform the Agency’s strategic efforts. The office also works with Congress to obtain adequate funding for the Agency’s crucial research programs.

By coordinating with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies along with other federal agencies and non-governmental organizations, the Office of Research and Analysis examines the causes of drug abuse and the social, cultural, and economic factors that lead to drug use and addiction. The research conducted by the office is crucial to the DEA’s success in reducing drug abuse and the opioid epidemic. Some of the things that the Office of Research and Analysis does to help the Agency fight the opioid epidemic include the following:

Formulates and analyzes policy based on the best available evidence
Identifies gaps in current knowledge and disseminates useful information
Assesses the strengths and weaknesses of alternative approaches and offers suggestions for improvement
Creates and maintains databases to track trends and help solve problems

One of the major challenges that the Agency faces is obtaining adequate funding for its crucial research programs. To ensure that these important programs can continue to operate, the DEA relies on Congress to appropriate enough money for them. Without Congressional support, the Agency would be unable to conduct its research and analysis, as well as prevent new drug abuse and educate the public about the dangers of drug abuse. In January 2020, Congress passed the the Support our Systems of Care Act, which allocates $100 million to the DEA for drug treatment for those who are addicted to or dependent on drugs and mental health agencies. This bill also provides $50 million to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration for drug treatment for people who are uninsured or have government-issued insurance that does not cover substance abuse treatment. This bill further provides $5 million to the Office of the Vice President for Health Reform to support activities that improve healthcare delivery for people with substance use disorders.

Focus on Key Program Areas

Law Enforcement

Demand Reduction

Education

Research

Summary