How does the secret service work?

Question

What is the primary job function of the secret service? Are they the agents that have the sole responsibility of protecting the president and the white house? Are they only employeed in D.C., or are they employeed across the country like other federal agencies?

Are the job functions of the Secret Service closer to that of the FBI, or the CIA?

Answer 1

It's a secret! shhh

Answer 2

U.S. Secret Service was under the Dept. of the Treasury before 2003, now under Homeland Security.

They are closer to FBI in terms that they do conduct investigations, and hi-level police work like FBI but their primary mission is "Protection." SS next job is to protect U.S. Currency from counterfeiting. This was their original mandate in 1865.

"Secret Service Division was created on July 5, 1865 in Washington, D.C., to suppress counterfeit currency."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Stat...

It should be noted that the FBI, CIA did not exist when US SS was first formed. The only older existing law agency is the U.S. Marshals.

SS can and do make arrests. They are federal agents just like FBI. SS is much smaller org in numbers of staff (4400 sworn officers) verses FBI's 30,000+ agents, but SS is perhaps more specialized. I'm sure FBI may want to argue to the contrary.

"The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the primary investigative arm of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), serving as both a federal criminal investigative body and a domestic intelligence agency.

At present, the FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crimes, making the FBI the de-facto lead law enforcement agency of the United States government. The motto of the bureau is "Fidelity, Bravery, Integrity".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fbi

CIA has a completely different mandate than any other federal agency. (1) CIA is not law enforcement. (2) CIA is restricted to their domestic work. Most of their work is done outside of the US, with some exceptions to analysis. (3) CIA doesn't make arrests, or take people to jail. (4) The CIA does not testify in any open Court. (5) Anything else I can't tell you. LOL.

I'd link them but my computer would be stealth hacked in 2 seconds. ha ha maybe... ;)

With regard to Secret Service.

"Secret Service has primary jurisdiction over the prevention and investigation of counterfeiting of U.S. currency and U.S. treasury bonds notes, as well as protection of the President, Vice President, President-elect, Vice President-elect, past Presidents and their spouses (except when the spouse re-marries), certain candidates for the offices of President and Vice President (mostly within 120 days of a general presidential election), children and grandchildren of current and former presidents until age 16, visiting foreign heads of state and government along with their spouses (all called "protectees"), other individuals as designated per Executive Order of the President, and National Special Security Events, when designated as such by the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.

DC - White House

'SS has an Uniformed Division and is similar to the United States Capitol Police and is in charge of protecting the physical White House grounds and foreign diplomatic missions in the Washington, D.C. area.'

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Stat...

SS also tracks suspicious people and investigates a wide variety of financial fraud crimes and identity theft and provides forensics assistance for some local crimes.

The United States Secret Service Uniformed Division (UD) assists in the protection of foreign embassies, the United States Naval Observatory and the White House within Washington, D.C."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Stat...

"In 1901, Congress informally requested Secret Service Presidential protection following the assassination of President William McKinley."

Their job is extremely demanding. It is not just standing and acting as a shield to their assigned person.

The President hand pics top agents for his detail. I am not sure about the VP on hand picking.

SS works world wide and is engaging in multi-tasking assignments, Protection, extensive investigation, attending court hearings, traveling anywhere at anytime.

For the work they do, they should be paid more. But many join not for the money but for the love of the job.

http://www.ustreas.gov/usss/history.shtm...