How Many Secret Service Agents Are There

Secret Service

Responsible for the Protection of the President & Financial Crimes.

About Secret Service

The United States Secret Service has approximately 3,300+ special agents and is mandated by statute and executive order to carry out two significant missions: Protection and Investigations. The Secret Service maintains over 100 field offices throughout the United States and in 16+ countries.

The Secret Service was established as a law enforcement agency in 1865. Its original mandate was to investigate the counterfeiting of U.S. currency, a mission the Secret Service still executes. After the assassination of President William McKinley in 1901, Congress directed the Secret Service to protect the President of the United States.

Official History

Test Prep Course

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Secret Service Overview

The Secret Service has a proud historical record and is inextricably linked to the security of U.S. Presidents & their family members. In reality, the Secret Service protective umbrella mission additionally extends to the Vice President, visiting foreign heads of state, major presidential candidates and National Special Security Events. The secondary investigation mission covers areas such as counterfeit, identity theft and cybercrime.

Straight Talk Secret Service

The Secret Service is aggressively hiring entry level special agents with a realistic preview & emphasis on the primary Protective Mission . New special agents should expect extensive travel, mandatory overtime, post standing assignments and an ops oriented mission that routinely involves shift work. Also, despite what you may have seen in the movies, the chances of a new SA being anywhere near the President are extremely remote. Those Presidential Detail positions are reserved for experienced SA's that have proven themselves over years of hard work. The Investigative mission is limited in scope and always takes a back seat to Protective responsibilities. In general, a new SA can expect to travel all over the world, be in the center of political events and hold responsibility for securing high profile assets. For a realistic preview of the job, I encourage all to read this article written by former SA William Gage . Unfortunately, it has been well publicized that the current operational tempo has contributed to the departure of experienced agents (especially those with families), as many have grown tired of the unrelenting pace.

Secret Service Investigative Mission

Although a secondary priority, the USSS investigates:

Violations of laws relating to counterfeiting of obligations and securities of the United States
Financial crimes that include, but are not limited to, financial institution fraud, false identification documents, access device fraud, advance fee fraud, computer and telecommunications fraud, electronic funds transfers and money laundering as it relates to the agency's core violations
Computer-based attacks on the nation's financial, banking and telecommunications infrastructure

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Secret Service Requirements

Be a U.S. Citizen
Be at least 21 years of age at time of application and younger than 37 at the time of receipt of a conditional offer of employment to continue in the application process. Applicants with veterans' preference must be at least 21 years of age and younger than 40 at the time of receipt of a conditional offer of employment to continue in the application process.
Possess a current valid driver's license
Qualify for the GL-07 level or the GL-09 level
Have uncorrected vision no worse than 20/100 binocular; correctable to 20/20 in each eye (NOTE: Lasik, ALK, RK and PRK corrective eye surgeries are acceptable eyes surgeries for special agent applicants provided specific visual tests are passed. The following are the waiting periods before visual tests are conducted after the surgery: Lasik surgery–three months; PRK–six months; and ALK and RK–one year.) Applicants must meet the vision requirement at the time of application.
Be in excellent health and physical condition
Pass a written examination
Pass an Applicant Physical Abilities Test
Qualify for a Top Secret clearance and undergo a complete background investigation, to include in-depth interviews, drug screening, medical and polygraph examinations
Certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so, if you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959
The Secret Service prohibits employees from having visible body markings (including but not limited to tattoos, body art, and branding) on the head, face, neck, hand and fingers (any area below the wrist bone).

Secret Service Hiring Process

Secret Service New Hires

Newly hired Secret Service trainees are appointed in the GL-7 to GL-9 range depending on their individual qualifications. The initial appointment is under the Excepted Service. After successful completion, SAs are converted to Career Status

Secret Service Academy Training

Special Agent trainees must complete the Criminal Investigator Training Program (CITP) at FLETC Georgia and the subsequent 18-week Special Agent Training Course at the Secret Service's training academy outside of Washington, D.C. This follow-on course focuses on specific Secret Service policies and procedures associated with the dual responsibilities of investigations and protection. 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. The core curriculum is augmented with extensive training in marksmanship, control tactics, water survival skills and physical fitness.

CNN Video

Secret Service Internship Program

The US Secret Service administers the Pathways Program, which is a paid internship for current students. Upon successful completion of this program, students can be converted to a permanent position. This is highly recommend!

Pathways Program - USSS - Learn More

Secret Service Strategic Plan

The best way to understand USSS mission & responsibilities is to read their own annual reports. I highly encourage prospective applicants to read the latest Annual Report and Strategic Plan for insight. You will learn infinitely more from these documents; versus the rantings and ravings by anonymous posters on various forums.

2021 Secret Service Report

At the request of agency leadership, the National Academy of Public Administration has just published their Sep 2021 report on the state of the U.S. Secret Service.

I would highly encourage all current and future Secret Service Special Agents to read this detailed review and develop a current snapshot of the agency. Some interesting facts, it takes between 58K-250K to train a federal law enforcement officer, depending on series and agency. Also, USSS is looking into developing a unique non-transferable supplement to their retirement to assist with retention.

Read Report

Zero Fail - 2021

Few authors have delved into the inner workings of a federal law enforcement agency like journalist Carol Leonning. Although she provides background on well known historical events; her analysis of the ongoing staffing crisis, low morale and mission creep is dead on and echoes the grumblings of line special agents. Unfortunately, USSS management is notorious for being tyrannical and demanding of overworked agents. At one point, Secret Service special agents were desperately seeking a merger with HSI in order to alleviate their operations tempo. Perhaps a structural change and true reform may arise from this publication.

Secret Service Related Links

Lives for the President

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Inside the USSS

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Timeline

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Standing Post Podcast

The United States Secret Service runs an excellent podcast. This podcast show is a great opportunity to learn more about the selection process, operations and career path of a typical Secret Service Special Agent. All applicants are urged to listen and learn.

USSS Standing Post Podcast

Within Arms Length

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I am a USSS Agent

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Secret Service

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Secrets of USSS

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Association of Former Agents U.S. Secret Service

Virtually all major 1811 agencies have an association and The Secret Service is no exception. Visit their site to learn more about upcoming conferences, awards and scholarships.

USSS Secrets

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Inside USSS

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CNN Video

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USSS Takedowns

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Life imitates Art

Like the movie character played by Clint Eastwood, for approximately three years, Special Agent in Charge Anthony Ornato was the Detail Leader for the Presidential Protective Detail.

Featured prominently in a recent Nat Geo documentary, special agents with the rank of SAIC like Ornato represent a minority of (1%<) of USSS personnel.

Investigative Portfolio

Although it often takes a back seat to Protective Operations, the USSS has a significant financial investigations portfolio. The USSS additionally has leading edge capabilities in Document Forensics & Online Intrusion.

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Credit Card Fraud

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Cyber Crime

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Counterfeit

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Forensics

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Special Agent vs. Uniformed Division

Although they are similarly (and confusingly) branded, the USSS is composed of two distinct positions, the Special Agent & Uniformed Division Officer. It is common for both to wear lettering that simply states "Secret Service."

The officers of the Uniformed Division are NOT 1811 criminal investigators. These officer positions are more analogous to the Federal Protective Service or uniformed FBI Police. The UD supports the presidential protective mission in various roles (i.e. white house security, patrol, K-9, motorcade, etc.).

UD Official Site

Presidential Assassination Attempts

The attempts to assassinate the U.S. President have been constant throughout history. Some Presidents (i.e. Bush & Ford) survived several attempts during their tenure. It is the job of the USSS to always be vigilant to this mortal threat. Strangely enough, the FBI tends to take jurisdiction in the event a protectee is killed, mostly due to their infrastructure.

Roosevelt

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Jackson

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FDR

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Security Incidents

The number of incidents impacting the security of the President & White House are too numerous to list. It appears that the White House attracts a number of unstable personalities every year. USSS personnel have encountered folks that have shot at the White House, attempted to ram barricades, shown up with firearms, breached security events, jumped the security perimeter, crashed a plane, & even flown a helicopter onto the lawn .

SA's in History - JFK Assassination

Perhaps no event is more inextricably connected to the modern Secret Service than the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Two seconds after the first shot, SA Clint Hill launched himself onto the limo in what turned out to be a futile effort to protect JFK. The Warren Commission Report later exposed several failures by an agency hampered by inadequate funding, training & personnel.

The USSS learned from this historical failure and reinvented itself into the best protective service agency in the world.

Books

There is no shortage of reading material regarding the US Secret Service. Word of caution, most tend to focus on the Presidential Detail; which in reality involves a minority of agents.
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USSS & HSI Partnership

The USSS & HSI have a close partnership that dates back to their legacy days in the Treasury Dept. The USSS relies on thousands of HSI special agents to support presidential election candidates & large events such as the UN General Assembly , RNC, DNC, & Inauguration.

Protecting the President

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Five Presidents

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Rawhide Down

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In the Secret Service

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Presidents Killed by Assassins

After the assassination of President McKinley, Congress formalized the Secret Service's role in Presidential Security.

SA's in History-Reagan Assassination Attempt

On March 30, 1981, with news cameras rolling , a lone gunman shot and wounded then President Ronald Reagan. The initial shots hit the White House Press Secretary & a DC Police Officer. As Regan was being evacuated, SA Tim McCarthy literally stepped into the line of fire and took a bullet for the President. The final shot ricocheted off the limo and hit the president underneath the left underarm, ultimately lodging in his lung.

After conducting an assessment, SAIC Jerry Par realized the President had been gravely injured and diverted the limo to the hospital, a decision that certainly helped save Reagan's life.

Evy Poumpouras

Former Secret Service SA Evy Poumpouras is a 12 year veteran who recently made the transition to civilian public life. Poumpouras was involved in the 9/11 recovery effort, served on Presidential protective details and later specialized as a polygraph examiner. Like many others, she is using the "Secret Service" brand to jumpstart a successful private sector career.

In 2020, Poumpouras released a book titled "Becoming Bulletproof " that "hopes to teach others to be brave while staying safe." She was also featured on Spencer Lodge Podcast No. 116.

Becoming Bulletproof