United States Secret Service |
The United States Secret Service is a United States
federal government law enforcement
agency originally created as part of the United States Department of the Treasury. On March 1, 2003, it was moved under the jurisdiction of the United States
Department of Homeland Security. The Secret Service has primary jurisdiction over counterfeiting of currency and the protection or bodyguard
of the President, Vice President, their immediate families, past presidents and their spouses, certain candidates for the offices
of President and Vice President, and visiting foreign heads of state (all called "protectees"). It also investigates a wide
variety of financial fraud crimes and identify theft and provides forensics
assistance for some local crimes.
The Secret Service was commissioned on July 5, 1865 in Washington, D.C., to suppress counterfeit currency, which is why it
was established under the Department of the Treasury. After the assassination of President William McKinley in
1901, Congress
informally requested Secret Service Presidential protection. A year later, it assumed full-time responsibility for protection of
the President.
The Secret Service Presidential Protection Detail safeguards the President of the United States and his immediate family. They are heavily armed and work
with local police and the military to
safeguard the President when he travels.
Although today this is the Secret Service's most visible role, personal protection is an anomaly in the responsibilities of an
agency focused on fraud and counterfeiting. The reason for this combination of duties is that when the need for presidential
protection became apparent in the late 19th century, there were only a few federal services with the necessary abilities. The
FBI, CIA, BATF, and
DEA did not yet exist. The United States Marshals Service was the only
other logical choice, and in fact the U.S. Marshals did provide protection for the president at some points. In the end though,
the job went to the Secret Service.
The Secret Service has 5,000 employees: 2100 special agents, 1200 Uniformed Division employees, and 1700 technical and
administrative employees. The Special Agents are the ones who bodyguard officials and investigate financial fraud. Uniformed
officers provide security at the White House and Treasury building and other
sites.
Like other federal law enforcement organizations, the Service has its critics. Such critics may point, for example, to an
incident where Steve Jackson Games was raided by (perhaps
overzealous) Secret Service agents in a move that was later ruled to be illegal and unjustified. The Secret Service has also been
involved in investigations, arrests, and detentions that were allegedly motivated by political issues rather than security
concerns. For instance:
- The Service as a rule will remove protestors who disrupt events where the President is speaking. At times the Service has
removed persons who make a show of disrespect even when the behavior is not overtly disruptive. In one instance, the Service was
involved in removing graduates from the Ohio State
University graduation who had organized to turn their backs on the speaker, George W. Bush. In most cases, actual arrests are made by local law enforcement.
- The Service has statutory authority to detain individuals deemed to be a danger to protectees, without a court determination
that the individuals in question are mentally ill. This has led to
criticism.
In 1968, as a result of Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy's assassination, Congress authorized protection of major Presidential and Vice
Presidential candidates and nominees (Public Law 90-331). Congress also authorized protection of widows of Presidents until
death, or remarriage, and their children until age 16.
Congress passed legislation in 1994 stating that Presidents elected to office after
January 1, 1997, will receive Secret
Service protection for 10 years after leaving office. Individuals elected to office prior to January 1, 1997, will continue to
receive lifetime protection (Public Law 103-329).
The Service also investigates forgery of government checks, forgery of currency equivalents (such as travelers' checks), and
certain instances of wire fraud (such as the so called Nigerian
"419" advance fee scheme) and credit card fraud.
The Service and the FBI each see themselves as the most prestigious and capable federal
law enforcement agency. (However, a June 17, 2002 U.S. News and World
Report cover article detailed numerous allegations of incompetent, illegal or contrary to Secret Service regulations
behavior by agents.) There is some animosity between the two organizations, and very few agents have served in both.
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