Secret Service
Secret Service Agent Career Description
The Secret Service, which is part of the Department of Homeland Security, is a federal law enforcement agency, headquartered in Washington D.C. The agency is searching for well qualified men and women who are ready for an exciting and rewarding career.
There are two missions given to Special Agents.
- Protection: Special agents are responsible for the protection of the President of the United States, the Vice President, President-elect, Vice President-elect, and each of their immediate families. They are also in charge of protecting all former Presidents, their spouses and minor children until age 16, major Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates and their spouses, visiting foreign heads of states/governments and their accompanying spouses, as well as all others designated by law.
- Investigations: Special agents conduct a variety of criminal investigations involving fraud. These include: computer crimes, counterfeiting, false identification, telecommunications fraud, identity theft, telemarketing fraud, and electronic funds transfer fraud.
Secret Service Agent Qualifications
- Must be a United States citizen
- Must pass a medical exam – vision, hearing, cardiovascular, mobility of extremities
- Must pass a drug screening
- Must pass a report writing test
- Must pass an extensive background investigation
- Must pass a polygraph examination
- Must pass an in-depth interview
- Must pass an entrance exam
- Must be able to obtain a Top Secret clearance
- Must be over age 21 years and under age 37 years
Candidates hoping to become special agents must also have a four-year college degree from an accredited university (or have at least three years of experience working in law enforcement or criminal investigative fields that necessitate an understanding and utilization of laws relating to criminal violations; or have an comparable combination of work experience and education).
Secret Service Agent Training
After being hired, new Special Agents participate in a three month training program at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center. There are two campuses one in Artesia, New Mexico, and one in Glynco, Georgia. After that, another three months of specialized instruction is given in Laurel, Maryland at the James J. Rowley Training Center.
