U.S. Secret Service
Uniformed Division
The first formal attempt to provide security at the White House occurred during the Civil War. The "Bucktail Brigade" (members of the 150th Regiment of the Pennsylvania Volunteers) and four officers of the Metropolitan Washington Police Force were assigned to protect White House property. On September 14, 1922, President Warren G. Harding created the White House police under the supervision of the White House military aide's office.
President Hoover decided that White House Police officers and Secret Service agents at the White House could better coordinate their efforts if they were under centralized control. In 1930, Congress placed the White House Police under the supervision of the U.S. Secret Service.
White House Police responsibilities expanded sharply in 1970 to include security for foreign diplomatic missions in the Washington D.C. area. At the same time, the force was renamed the Executive Protective Service. In 1977, the name was changed again to the United States Secret Service Uniformed Division.
Today, Uniformed Division officers provide security at the White House, including the Oval Office, the Vice President's residence, The Eisenhower Executive Office Building, the U.S. Treasury building and the Treasury Annex, foreign diplomatic establishments in other parts of the U.S. as the President may direct.
Uniformed Division officers carry out their protective responsibilities through a network of foot patrols, vehicular patrols, bicycle patrols, and fixed posts. They provide additional assistance to the overall Secret Service protective mission through special support programs such as the K-9, magnetometer, and countersniper units.
Training
New appointments receive intensive training at the Federal Law Enforcement Training center in Glynco, Georgia, and specialized instruction at Secret Service training facilities in the Washington, D.C., area. Training includes course work in police procedures, psychology, police-community relations, criminal law, first aid, laws of arrest, search and seizure, and physical defense techniques. Classroom study is supplemented by on-the-job training and advanced in-service training programs. Firearms and physical fitness training are stressed throughout an officer's career.
Employment Opportunities
The Secret Service Uniformed Division is always interested in qualified applicants. Career opportunities for those selected are excellent. During their careers, officers rotate tours of duty to insure comprehensive knowledge of all branches of the organization. They may also compete for specialized assignments to further particular interests or expertise.
The Secret Service and You
Because of the magnitude of its responsibilities, the Secret Service relies heavily on the support of outside organizations and individuals. State, county, and local law enforcement organizations are valued partners of the Service in every phase of its investigative and protective operations.
Ordinary citizens also assist the Service in various ways: by learning about counterfeiting and forgery, by taking steps to protect themselves from these crimes; and by reporting any suspicious occurrences, such as threats against the President, Vice President, and\or their families, to their local police or Secret Service office. The support of all Americans helps the Secret Service succeed in its dual investigative and protective missions.
