Secret Service

Secret Service
Agency name	United States Secret Service
Formed	1865
Headquarters	Washington, D.C.
Parent agency	United States Department of the Treasury; later United States Department of Homeland Security
Employees	classified
Website	official

Secret Service is a federal law-enforcement agency established in the aftermath of the American Civil War to combat currency counterfeiting and later assigned protective duties for national leaders. The agency developed dual missions encompassing financial-crime investigations and protective operations around presidents, visiting dignitaries, and major events. Over its history the agency has intersected with many Presidents of the United States, international summits such as the G8 summit, and crises including assassination attempts and large-scale fraud schemes.

History

The agency was created in 1865 during the administration of Andrew Johnson amid rampant counterfeiting following the American Civil War. Early efforts targeted counterfeiters operating in cities like New York City and Philadelphia, and involved cooperation with federal prosecutors in the Department of Justice and local police departments including the New York City Police Department. In 1901, after the assassination of William McKinley at the Pan-American Exposition, Congress directed the agency to provide permanent protection to the President of the United States. The protective mission expanded during the administrations of Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin D. Roosevelt to include former presidents and foreign heads of state visiting the United States. During the 20th century the agency investigated financial crimes tied to events such as the Great Depression and the Savings and Loan crisis, while protecting presidents during major events like the Presidential Inauguration and international gatherings including the United Nations General Assembly.

Organization and Structure

The agency operates a headquarters in Washington, D.C. and field offices in major cities including Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, New York City, and San Francisco. Organizational elements include the Office of Protective Operations, the Office of Investigations, and specialized divisions such as the Counterfeit Enforcement Section and the Forensic Services Division. Leadership typically reports through the United States Department of the Treasury historically and, after departmental reorganizations, liaises with United States Department of Homeland Security components including Transportation Security Administration and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on overlapping matters. The agency maintains coordination with federal partners such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Central Intelligence Agency, the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, and local law enforcement agencies including the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia.

Missions and Responsibilities

Primary missions are criminal investigations into counterfeiting of United States dollar currency and protective operations for national and visiting leaders. Investigative responsibilities have broadened to include financial crimes like credit card fraud, check fraud, and cyber-enabled fraud schemes involving international actors located in cities such as London, Hong Kong, and Bogotá. Protective responsibilities encompass protection for the President of the United States, the Vice President of the United States, their immediate families, major presidential candidates, visiting foreign dignitaries such as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom or the Chancellor of Germany, and events designated under the Presidential Protection Assistance Act framework. The agency also undertakes technical security assessments for venues hosting events like the Super Bowl and summits including the NATO summit, coordinating explosive-ordnance and counter-surveillance resources with agencies such as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Secret Service Uniformed Division.

Training and Equipment

Agents receive training at facilities including the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers and specialized schools for protective tactics, marksmanship, and technical surveillance countermeasures. Training curricula reference case studies involving figures like John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, and events such as the Attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan to instruct in response protocols. Equipment ranges from armored vehicles used in motorcade units similar to protective vehicles used by other heads of state, to non-lethal tools, tactical weapons, secure communications systems interoperable with North Atlantic Treaty Organization partners, and forensic laboratories for currency examination. The agency maintains liaison exchanges and training exercises with foreign counterparts including Scotland Yard, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and security services from countries such as Japan and Germany.

Notable Operations and Incidents

The protective detail present during the Assassination of John F. Kennedy in Dallas generated major scrutiny and led to procedural reforms involving coordination with local police including the Dallas Police Department. Protective successes include foiling assassination plots and disruptions of kidnapping schemes targeting relatives of presidents during the administrations of Dwight D. Eisenhower and Lyndon B. Johnson. Investigations into counterfeiting networks have led to prosecutions in federal courts in jurisdictions such as the Southern District of New York and operations that disrupted transnational fraud rings operating between Miami and Cartagena. The agency played significant security roles at events like the Olympic Games and the World Series, managing large-scale protective plans and interagency coordination.

Controversies and Criticism

The agency has faced criticism for incidents including lapses in protective coverage during the Assassination of John F. Kennedy and perceived operational failures during the Attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan. High-profile investigations and protective decisions have prompted congressional inquiries by committees such as the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and oversight from the United States House Committee on Oversight and Reform. Critiques have focused on use-of-force incidents, coordination with local law enforcement including the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia, resource allocation between protective and investigative missions, and privacy concerns tied to surveillance techniques examined by civil liberties organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union and academic researchers at institutions such as Harvard University and Georgetown University.

Category:Law enforcement agencies of the United States