Francis M. Mullen
Encyclopedia
Francis M. "Bud" Mullen, Jr. (born 14 December 1934 in New London
New London, Connecticut
New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States.It is located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, southeastern Connecticut....
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
) is a former Executive Assistant Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
(FBI) and former Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration
Drug Enforcement Administration
The Drug Enforcement Administration is a federal law enforcement agency under the United States Department of Justice, tasked with combating drug smuggling and use within the United States...
(DEA).
Biography
Mullen began his life in New London, Connecticut, where after graduating from Central Connecticut State College (B.S. 1962) he served in the United States Air ForceUnited States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
from 1953 to 1957. He became a police officer
Police officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
in New London, before being appointed as a FBI Special Agent
Special agent
Special agent is usually the title for a detective or investigator for a state, county, municipal, federal or tribal government. An agent is a worker for any federal agency, and a secret agent is one who works for an intelligence agency....
in 1962.
Service with the DEA 1981-1985
In June 1981, Mullen was designated Acting Administrator of the DEA. However, it was not until 21 January 1982 that PresidentPresident of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
announced his intention to nominate Mullen as DEA Administrator, succeeding Peter Bensinger. Mullen served in an acting capacity from July 1981 until he was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on 30 September 1983 and sworn in as the DEA's third Administrator on 10 November 1983. He served until 1 March 1985.
Impact on DEA
Mullen began his term at a time when the tremendous impact of drug abuseDrug abuse
Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, refers to a maladaptive pattern of use of a substance that is not considered dependent. The term "drug abuse" does not exclude dependency, but is otherwise used in a similar manner in nonmedical contexts...
was being felt across the United States. The problem was especially acute in southern Florida, where unprecedented levels of drug-related violence accompanied the cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
transit routes of the Colombian cartels
Drug cartel
Drug cartels are criminal organizations developed with the primary purpose of promoting and controlling drug trafficking operations. They range from loosely managed agreements among various drug traffickers to formalized commercial enterprises. The term was applied when the largest trafficking...
. It was clear to the Reagan Administration
Reagan Administration
The United States presidency of Ronald Reagan, also known as the Reagan administration, was a Republican administration headed by Ronald Reagan from January 20, 1981, to January 20, 1989....
that U.S. drug fighting agencies needed help. During Mullen's service at the DEA, the number of DEA Special Agents jumped from 1,941 in 1980 to 2,234 in 1985. This also saw the budget jump from $206.6 million in 1980 to $362.4 million in 1985. Mullen stressed multi-agency cooperation with other members of the enforcement and intelligence communities. He made this policy official in a July 14 memo to DEA employees: "On policy, strategy and tactical levels, your cooperation with other agencies in all current and future DEA efforts is hereby ordered."
After DEA
After retiring from DEA on 1 March 1985, Mullen became the director of the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Commission in Uncasville, ConnecticutUncasville, Connecticut
Uncasville is an area in the town of Montville, Connecticut. The area traditionally known as Uncasville is a village in southeastern Montville, at the mouth of the Oxoboxo River...
at the Mohegan Sun Casino. He has since retired from that position.