Uttam Anthony Singh Dhillon (born September 4, 1960) is an American attorney and law enforcement official who served as Acting Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration from July 2, 2018, to May 18, 2020. He is married to Janet Dhillon, a former commissioner of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.[1]
Uttam Dhillon | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Acting Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration | |
| In office July 2, 2018 – May 18, 2020 | |
| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Robert W. Patterson (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Timothy Shea (acting) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Uttam Anthony Singh Dhillon September 4, 1960 El Centro, California, U.S. |
| Spouse | Janet Dhillon |
| Education | California State University, Sacramento (BA) University of California, San Diego (MA) UC Berkeley School of Law (JD) |
Early life and education
editDhillon was born in El Centro, California. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from California State University, Sacramento, a Master of Arts in psychology from the University of California, San Diego, and a Juris Doctor from the UC Berkeley School of Law.
Career
editFrom 1990 to 1997, Dhillon served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Los Angeles, where he prosecuted major narcotics cases. Dhillon was appointed to the United States Department of Justice's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force. As part of the task force, he coordinated with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to direct investigations of violent gangs and major narcotics trafficking organizations.[2]
Following his time in California, Dhillon served as a senior investigative counsel for the United States House Committee on Oversight and Reform from 1997 to 1998, and the policy director for the House Republican Policy Committee in 2002. In 2003, he served as chief counsel and deputy staff director of the United States House Committee on Homeland Security. In 2006, Dhillon became the first director of the Office of Counternarcotics Enforcement at the United States Department of Homeland Security.[2]
Dhillon worked with President Donald Trump as deputy counsel and deputy assistant to the president.[3] In 2018, Dhillon was appointed as the acting administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration.[3][4] He resigned his position to take another DOJ role in May 2020.[5][6]
In July 2020, Dhillon was selected to serve as the director of Interpol's Washington, D.C. Bureau.[7]
References
edit- ^ Hayes, Charlotte (September 11, 2019). "Janet Dhillon". The Independent Women's Forum.
- ^ a b "Hearing before the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs". US Government Printing Office. March 31, 2006. Retrieved October 31, 2019.
- ^ a b "Attorney General Jeff Sessions Announces Uttam Dhillon as New Acting Administrator Of Drug Enforcement Administration". US Department of Justice. July 2, 2018. Retrieved October 31, 2019.
- ^ Bender, Michael C. (October 25, 2018). "Trump's DEA Chief Vetted Candidates and Then Took the Job Himself, Riling Police Groups". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
- ^ National Media Affairs Office, Drug Enforcement Administration (May 19, 2020). "Attorney General Barr announces Timothy J. Shea as new Acting Administrator of Drug Enforcement Administration". Drug Enforcement Administration. Archived from the original on 2020-05-29. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
- ^ Goodman, Joshua; Mustian, Jim (May 21, 2020). "'Very unprepared:' DEA shakeup followed mounting criticism". Associated Press. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
- ^ "Former Acting Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration Uttam Dhillon New Interpol Washington Director". www.justice.gov. 2020-07-20. Retrieved 2020-09-23.