In this episode of NTD’s “Profiles of Service,” we sit down with Derek Maltz, acting administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and a man on a mission.
Maltz’s career began earlier than most, accompanying his father—a DEA agent and head of the New York Drug Enforcement Task Force—on real-life surveillance missions at age 13.
Then, the tragedies of 9/11 and losing his brother in Afghanistan fueled Maltz’s lifelong commitment to service, particularly fighting drug trafficking and supporting the families who’ve lost loved ones.
“The thing that got me the most upset was in talking to all these families, the vast majority of families kept saying they never knew about fentanyl,” he said.
That realization brought him out of retirement and back into the battle. Today, he’s fighting not just fentanyl, but a host of new deadly drugs from China.
“Profiles of Service” is an NTD News series that features the men and women who have chosen to dedicate themselves to public service. We ask them about the challenges and rewards of being in office, why public service matters, and what inspiration they can offer the next generation of potential leaders.
