Director of the United States Secret Service

Director of the
United States Secret Service
Incumbent
Randolph Alles
since April 25, 2017
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Reports to Secretary of Homeland Security
Appointer President of the United States
Term length No term limit
Inaugural holder William P. Wood (as Chief)
Formation July 5, 1865
Website www.secretservice.gov

The Director of the United States Secret Service is the head of the United States Secret Service, and responsible for the day-to-day operations.

The Secret Service is a federal law enforcement agency that is part of the United States Department of Homeland Security.[1][2] The Service is mandated by Congress to carry out a unique dual mission: safeguarding the financial and critical infrastructure of the United States, and protecting the nation’s leaders.[3][4][1]

The Director is appointed serving at the approbation of the President of the United States, and is not subject to Senate confirmation.[5] The Director reports to the Secretary of Homeland Security, and operates with the general directions thereof. Prior to March 1, 2003, the Secret Service was a part of the United States Department of the Treasury.[2][6]

History

President Abraham Lincoln signed legislation creating the Secret Service on April 14, 1865, the day of his assassination.[7] It was commissioned on July 5, 1865, in Washington, D.C. as the "Secret Service Division" of the Department of the Treasury.[8] After being appointed by President Andrew Johnson, William P. Wood was sworn in as the first Chief of the Secret Service on July 5, 1865 by Secretary of the Treasury Hugh McCulloch.[9]

When the Secret Service was established, its head was called the Chief of the Secret Service. In 1965, the title was changed to the Director of the Secret Service, four years into the term of James Joseph Rowley (1961–1973).[9] The longest serving head of the Secret Service was William H. Moran, who served under five presidents from 1917 to 1936.

On March 27, 2013, President Barack Obama appointed Julia Pierson to be the twenty-third Director of the Secret Service.[10] She became the first female director of the agency.[11] As of October 1, 2014, the Secret Service is led by Director Joseph Clancy, a retired agent who formerly led the Presidential Protective Division. On March 4, 2017, Director Joseph Clancy retired, leaving the position vacant until a replacement is nominated by President Donald Trump.[12] Meanwhile, William J. Callahan served as Acting Director of the United States Secret Service from March 4, 2017 to April 25, 2017. Randolph D. Alles, former acting deputy commissioner of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, was appointed director by President of the United States, Donald Trump.[13]

List of Chiefs and Directors

Order Name Assumed office Left office President appointed by
1 William P. Wood July 5, 1865 1869 Andrew Johnson
2 Hiram C. Whitley 1869 1874 Ulysses S. Grant
3 Elmer Washburn 1874 1876
4 James Brooks 1876 1888 Rutherford B. Hayes
5 John S. Bell 1888 1890 Grover Cleveland
6 Andrew L. Drummond 1891 1894 Benjamin Harrison
7 William P. Hazen 1894 1898 Grover Cleveland
8 John E. Wilkie 1898 1911 William McKinley
9 William J. Flynn 1912 1917 William Howard Taft
10 William H. Moran 1917 1936 Woodrow Wilson
11 Frank J. Wilson 1937 1946 Franklin D. Roosevelt
12 James J. Maloney 1946 1948 Harry Truman
13 U. E. Baughman 1948 1961
14 James Joseph Rowley September 1961 October 1973 John F. Kennedy
15 H. Stuart Knight 1973 1981 Richard Nixon
16 John R. Simpson 1981 1992 Ronald Reagan
17 John Magaw 1992 1993 George H. W. Bush
18 Eljay B. Bowron 1993 1997 Bill Clinton
19 Lewis C. Merletti June 6, 1997 1999
20 Brian L. Stafford March 4, 1999 January 24, 2003
21 W. Ralph Basham January 27, 2003 May 30, 2006 George W. Bush
22 Mark J. Sullivan May 31, 2006 March 27, 2013
23 Julia Pierson March 27, 2013 October 1, 2014 Barack Obama
24 Joseph Clancy October 1, 2014 March 4, 2017
Acting William J. Callahan March 4, 2017 April 25, 2017 Donald Trump
25 Randolph Alles April 25, 2017 Incumbent

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Records of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS)". National Archives and Records Administration. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  2. 1 2 Resse, Shawn (April 16, 2012). "The U.S. Secret Service: An Examination and Analysis of Its Evolving Missions" (PDF). Congressional Research Service. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  3. ↑ "United States Secret Service: Investigative Mission". United States Secret Service. Archived from the original on April 11, 2013. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  4. ↑ "United States Secret Service: Employment Opportunities - Uniformed Officer". United States Secret Service. Archived from the original on April 14, 2013. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  5. ↑ "Secret Service veteran first woman to lead it". The Boston Globe. March 27, 2013. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  6. ↑ On March 1, 2003, the Secret Service was transferred from United States Department of the Treasury to the United States Department of Homeland Security, pursuant to the Homeland Security Act of 2002.
  7. ↑ "A Brief History Of: The Secret Service". TIME. November 20, 2008. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  8. ↑ "The U.S. Secret Service in History". National Archives and Records Administration. 1998. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  9. 1 2 "Secret Service History". United States Service. Archived from the original on February 19, 2010. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  10. ↑ "President Obama Announces A Key Administration Post". The White House. March 26, 2013. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  11. ↑ "Obama to name Julia Pierson as new Secret Service director". Washington Post. March 26, 2013. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  12. ↑ US Secret Service (February 14, 2017). "Retirement of Director Joseph P. Clancy" (PDF). US Secret Service. Retrieved March 29, 2017.
  13. ↑ "Randolph D. Alles appointed 25th Director of the United States Secret Service" (PDF) (Press release). April 25, 2017. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
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