Secret Service

The Secret Service, most people have heard of them and seen them on TV with the President; but what exactly do they do and how do you become one of them? The Secret Service was created in 1865 solely to protect the nations economy (USA). This included counterfeiting, identity theft, and “detecting people perpetrating fraud against the government” (USA). Not until 1894 did the secret service start protecting the President, and only then it was unofficial and informal. In 1902 the secret service assumed full-time protection of the President; still there were only two agents assigned to him and still considered to be unofficial (USA). In 1908 under the order of President Roosevelt, the secret service was transferred from the Treasury Department to the Department of Justice (USA). In 1913 Congress officially authorized the secret service to protect the President full-time along with the Vice President (USA). Over the next 50 years the role secret service expanded to include protecting the immediate families of the President, Vice President, Former Presidents, and Foreign Dignitaries that are on U.S soil; while at the same continue investigations and the protection of the nations economy (USA).

How do you become apart of the Secret Service in the first place? First off, you have to decide which “branch” or role you want to fill. In the Secret Service there are two main roles, the investigations side and the protection side (USA). The investigations side is pretty straightforward; you look into claims of fraud, counterfeiting, identity theft, corporate espionage, and computer fraud (USA). On the other hand, the protection side is a little more in-depth. In the protection side of things there are two main groups, special agents and uniformed officers. Special agents are who you see on TV, or in person, walking along side a public figure and guarding the President (USA). A uniformed officer though is divided into three sections: Canine Unit (K-9), Emergency Response Team (ERT), and the Counter Sniper Support Unit (CS) (USA). Which ever you decide is up to you as long as you pass the exams and complete all of the training that is associated with each job.  

Next comes the applications process. The original application you submit is online through USAJOBS.gov. A long with this application you also to submit to physical tests, medical examinations, polygraph examination, drug tests, Special Agent Entrance Exam or Police Officer Selection Test (USA). This though is the easy part and usually only takes a couple of months to complete, depending of course on your location and schedule to be able to complete these requirements. The next part of having background check is the hard part. To be apart of the Secret Service you have to be qualified and eligible to have a Top Secret Security Clearance (USA). Going a long with that, the secret service investigates everything and anything in your past and usually takes another two to three months:

“The background investigation focuses on your honesty, reliability, police record, financial record, use of alcohol and drugs, mental health and employment record. The background investigation includes interviews with your past and present employers, neighbors, teachers and references, as well as checks of law enforcement, credit, educational, medical and other records. Upon successful completion of a background investigation, a Top Secret security clearance may be granted.” (USA)

The key word at the end of that is “may.” This means that you could go through the entire application process, pass every test, and then still be rejected at their discretion. If you successfully complete the background check and all other parts of the application, the final stage is another interview with the hiring panel (USA). In this interview they discuss your application and together you decide in which field you will be pursing inside the department.

Congratulations, you have been accepted into the United States Secret Service. Now what? Next comes the training aspect, and each one is unique depending on your choosen field, uniformed officer or special agent. New Uniformed Division officers and special agent trainees undergo 14 weeks of intensive training through established programs at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in Glynco, Georgia (USA). After successful completion of this, you move on to the next phase of training.

For Uniformed officers, a 14-week specialized training at the Secret Service’s training facilities outside of Washington, D.C follows this (USA). Training includes coursework in police procedures, firearms, physical fitness, psychology, police-community relations, criminal law, first aid, laws of arrest, search and seizure, physical defense techniques, diplomatic immunity, international treaties and protocol (USA). On-the-job training and advanced in-service training programs complement classroom studies (USA).

For special agents, an 18-week Special Agent Training Course at the Secret Service’s training academy outside of Washington, D.C follows this (USA). This course focuses on specific Secret Service policies and procedures associated with the dual responsibilities of investigations and protection (USA). Trainees are provided with basic knowledge and advanced application training in combating counterfeiting, access device fraud and other financial criminal activity, protective intelligence investigations, physical protection techniques, protective advances and emergency medicine (USA). The core curriculum is augmented with extensive training in marksmanship, control tactics, water survival skills and physical fitness (USA). Training though never really ends though. Every agent, special or uniformed, of the Secret Service needs to pass yearly marksmanship qualifications, medical, and mental examinations to remain qualified (USA).

                                         

                                         

This collage is a representation of the steps you have to take in order to become a part of the secret service. The first requirement is a bachelors degree from any accredited university or college. Once you have achieved that and passed all of the exams, you need to decide what part you want to join. That can be either the Uniformed Division or a Special Agent. The Uniformed Division is tasked with patrolling and protecting the white house and treasury department. Special Agent's are those you see in black suits surrounding the President, Heads-of-States, and Foreign Dignitaries that are currently on U.S. soil. A Special Agent's job is not only the protection of the V.I.P's, but they are also tasked with investigating crimes committed against the national economy. On each side of the Secret Service there are multiple jobs that a person can take. Which job you do take depends on well you did in training and previous experience/qualifications. After completing "basic training" at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Georgia, both Special Agents and Uniformed Officers go to the Secret Service training facilities outside of D.C. There they receive different training based upon what they will be doing in the future. After completion they receive their first orders and station where they will work.  

Works Cited

Collage:

Federal Law Enforcement Training Center. Digital image. Artesia Chamber. Google

Images, n.d. Web. 5 May 2014.

Graduation Cap and College Degree. Digital image. Shuttershock. Google Images, n.d.

Web. 5 May 2014.

James J. Rowley Training Center. Digital image. Cryptome. Google Images, n.d. Web. 5

May 2014.

Special Agent Presidential Advanced Team. Digital image. Ebay. Google Images, n.d.

Web. 5 May 2014.

Special Agent Airforce One Patch. Digital image. Ebay. Google Images, n.d. Web. 5 May

2014.

Special Agent Badge. Digital image. The Dented Helmet. Google Images, n.d. Web. 5

May 2014.

Special Agent Badge. Digital image. The Dented Helmet. Google Images, n.d. Web. 5

May 2014.

Special Agent Executive Protection Unit Patch. Digital image. Ebay. Google Images, n.d.

Web. 5 May 2014.

Uniformed Division K-9 Badge. Digital image. Ebay. Google Images, n.d. Web. 5 May

2014.

Uniformed Division Badge. Digital image. Portland Media. Google Images, n.d. Web. 5

May 2014.

Uniformed Division CST Badge. Digital image. Ebay. Google Images, n.d. Web. 5 May

2014.

Uniformed Division ERT Badge. Digital image. Ebay. Google Images, n.d. Web. 5 May

2014.

Uniformed Division Police Badge. Digital image. Ebay. Google Images, n.d. Web. 5 May

2014.

Article:

United States of America. Secret Service. Application and Hiring. USA.gov. Department

of Homeland Security, 2014. Web. 30 Apr. 2014. United States of America. Secret Service. History. USA.gov. Department of Homeland

Security, 2014. Web. 30 Apr. 2014. United States of America. Secret Service. Training. USA.gov. Department of Homeland

Security, 2014. Web. 30 Apr. 2014. United States of America. Secret Service. Uniformed Officers Division. USA.gov.

Department of Homeland Security, 2014. Web. 30 Apr. 2014.