Secret Service Protection

[elfwitch]

I understand that to even be in the Secret Service you have to have a certain mentality that would allow you to do your job no matter WHO you are protecting. But I wonder if there has ever been a case where an Agent had to excuse himself from duty because he had such negative feelings about his protectee that he couldn't reasonably put himself in front of the bullet? It is even possible for an Agent to excuse himself for this reason?

Could you take a bullet in the line of duty for someone you had personal negative feelings about? I don't think I could.

[private_ryan]

1. if you can't then you don't belong there

it's part of the job. No matter who the president is.

[elfwitch]

3. Well, yeah I get that but....

I know I could never do that job. Hell, I had recruiters from the CIA, FBI, NSA, and Secret Service contact me as I was finishing my MA in Political Communications and Behavior. I knew then that I could never work for "The Man".

What I am saying is, what happens if somebody who already has the job, one day has a change of heart about the person they are ASSIGNED to protect. Could they excuse themselves for having personal feelings? I'd imagine that an Agent wouldn't be allowed to protect someone they have a personal relationship with. What happens if they just can't do the job for the person they have been assigned to?

Do they get fired? Do they get reassigned? What happens in situations like this?

[beaconess]

4. They would be reassigned

but it's unlikely they'd end up there in the first place since Secret Service agents put in for the assignments they want. Most agents don't work the presidential detail and those who do are rotated in only after undergoing considerable psychological screening to detect just that kind of problem.

And even once they end up there, they don't all protect the president. Those in protective service also protect the first family, the VP and his family, administration officials, former presidents and foreign dignitaries. Moreover, their jobs aren't limited to actually to positions in which they would have to "take a bullet." They can work in transportation, training, technical security and other areas without being directly responsible for the president's personal protection.

[lazarus]

2. You're not protecting the man

You're protecting the office.

Just as in the military. You're not saluting the man, you're saluting the military. If I was in the SS, I'd do it, because that's my job. You don't pick and choose.