Learn here all about The U.S. Secret Service. It is a federal law enforcement agency formerly under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, but currently under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Its two basic purposes are to protect American heads of state and to investigate crimes involving counterfeit U.S. currency.

November 16, 2009 The US Secret Service warns Americans to watch out for fake money this holiday season. They say fake money is often made and circulated during the holidays. http://www.wrcbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=11511234

Secret Service agents are assigned to protect specific individuals important to the United States government. These include:

1. President and Vice President
2. President-elect and Vice President-elect
3. Former Presidents and their spouses (except when the spouse remarries)
4. Certain candidates for the offices of President and Vice President (within 120 days of general election)
5. Children and grandchildren of current and former presidents until age 16
6. Visiting foreign heads of state and government and their spouses
7. Any other individuals designated by President or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security

Although numerous details of how the Secret Service protect their charges are kept under wraps, some details have been disclosed and/or leaked over the years. Code names for many of the Secret Service protectees, including the president, vice president and family members for current and former presidents have been released. During Inauguration Day 2009, Secret Service snipers were seen on rooftops in Washington DC, keeping an eye out for snipers or other threats. In addition, President Barack Obama is transported in a new heavily armored Cadillac limousine.

1865: Secret Service created to suppress counterfeit currency

1874: Headquarters moved to Washington DC

1894: Begin informal part-time protection of the President

1902: Operatives begin full time protection of the President

1908: Secret Service agents in Department of Justice form an early version of the FBI

1963: JFK assassination

1968: Robert F. Kennedy assassination

1971: Congress authorized Secret Service protection for visiting heads of a foreign state

1984: Start taking on fraud investigations

1998: Authorized to take on cases of identity theft

2001: Patriot Act passed

2003: Transferred from Department of Treasury to Department of Homeland Security

1944: Charlie Chan in the Secret Service

1991: JFK

1993: In the Line of Fire

1994: Guarding Tess

1997: Murder at 1600

2005: The Interpreter

2006: Death of a President

October 22, 2009 Sky News reports that U.S. Secret Service agents arrested a security guard named John Brek in the staff break room at Newark Liberty International Airport. He allegedly made some threatening comments there in the break room, according to the person who reported the incident to the U.S. Secret Service. http://blogs.news.sky.com/americanpie/Post:58786ab7-9570-43ed-9798-5405c46cab7c