5 Surprising Facts About the Secret Service
The U.S. Secret Service is a prominent part of American culture, often portrayed in action films and news footage where agents are seen sprinting alongside the president and leaping into action during high-risk situations. These representations have shaped much of our perception about the agency, creating an image of an elite force dedicated to the protection of the nation’s leader.
Yet the Secret Service is much more than the group of sharp-suited agents seen flanking the president. Since its founding in 1865, the agency’s role has included some truly fascinating — and often surprising — responsibilities. Here are five facts about the U.S. Secret Service that you may not know.
Abraham Lincoln Established the Secret Service
On April 14, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln signed legislation establishing the U.S. Secret Service. Although now synonymous with protecting the president of the United States, the agency was not originally created for this purpose. Instead, it was conceived as a division of the U.S. Treasury Department, tasked solely with addressing the rampant issue of counterfeit money. In the aftermath of the Civil War, nearly a third of U.S. currency in circulation was counterfeit, destabilizing the fragile economy. The Secret Service’s mission was to combat this crisis, investigate forgeries, and safeguard the nation’s financial security.
Establishing the Secret Service turned out to be Lincoln’s final legislative achievement, as he was assassinated later that same day by John Wilkes Booth. Ironically, the agency Lincoln established did not take on the responsibility of presidential protection until decades later, following the assassination of President William McKinley in 1901.
McKinley’s death, the third presidential assassination in 36 years, highlighted the urgent need for enhanced measures to protect the nation’s leaders. In response, the Secret Service was formally assigned the responsibility of safeguarding sitting presidents. Despite this significant expansion, the agency has retained its original mission of protecting the nation’s financial system, a task that remains integral to its operations.
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The Secret Service Has the World’s Largest Ink Library
The Secret Service maintains a forensic laboratory that houses the world’s largest ink library, with more than 15,000 samples of marker, pen, and printer inks dating back to the 1920s. This extensive collection is important for forensic analysis, allowing the agency to identify counterfeit currency and analyze forged documents by comparing inks to known samples. Such examinations can determine the authenticity of a document and trace the origin of counterfeit materials.
The Secret Service’s lab also uses cutting-edge technologies to analyze fingerprints, materials, and other forensic evidence. These capabilities support the investigations into financial crimes and protective operations, allowing agents to detect and prevent threats before they materialize.
Women Joined the Secret Service in the 1970s
Before there were female agents in the Secret Service, the agency occasionally relied on clerical staff or other personnel when a woman's presence was needed for specific operations. That finally changed in 1971, when Phyllis Shantz, Laurie Anderson, Sue Ann Baker, Kathryn Clark, and Holly Hufschmidt became the first women appointed as Secret Service special agents, marking an important step toward gender inclusion in the agency.
Since then, women have played pivotal roles in the Secret Service’s dual missions of protection and investigation. Female agents have served in nearly every capacity, from presidential details to combating cybercrime and leading undercover operations to dismantle financial fraud rings. Women also have risen to leadership positions, with Julia Pierson becoming the first female director of the Secret Service in 2013.
Secret Service Agents Are Trained in “10-Minute Medicine”
When the president travels, the Secret Service's preparations extend far beyond standard security measures. Agents not only are trained in emergency medicine but also carry a range of medical supplies, including a supply of blood matching the president’s blood type, to ensure immediate access in case of a medical emergency or violent attack. Their training is in "10-minute medicine," which involves stabilizing the president for the crucial 10 minutes it may take to get them to the nearest trauma center. This training ensures that agents are equipped to act quickly in life-threatening situations, providing lifesaving care until more extensive medical treatment can be administered.
The Secret Service's emergency training has proved invaluable in several high-stakes situations. During the 1981 assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan, agent Jerry Parr’s emergency medicine training and quick thinking were crucial in saving the president’s life. After Reagan was shot, Agent Parr immediately recognized the severity of the situation and directed the motorcade to George Washington University Hospital instead of the White House, ensuring the president received prompt medical attention. His timely intervention, along with the actions of other agents, helped stabilize the president during the critical first moments after the attack.
Protection Is Mandatory for the President and Vice President
The Secret Service is mandated to provide protection to the president and vice president of the United States, as well as their immediate families. Additionally, the agency is responsible for protecting former presidents, their spouses, and their children under the age of 16, as well as visiting foreign dignitaries and their spouses, and major presidential and vice presidential candidates and their spouses. They also secure specific events that have been designated as National Special Security Events by the Department of Homeland Security, such as the presidential inauguration and the State of the Union address.
The Former Presidents Act of 2012, signed by President Barack Obama, reinstated lifetime post-presidential protection after a 1994 statute limited that protection to 10 years. While Secret Service protection is mandatory for the sitting president and vice president, anyone else who is entitled to protection can choose to refuse it. Richard Nixon decided to drop his Secret Service detail in 1985, 11 years after he left office, and his wife, Pat Nixon, relinquished protection the previous year. Nixon is the only U.S. president to have declined Secret Service protection.
