One of the primary missions of the Secret Service is to protect people that are essential to U.S. governance and commerce. This includes the President, prominent presidential and vice presidential candidates, and the Vice President. Secret Service agents in Wyoming operate out of their field office in Cheyenne and also provide protection to dignitaries who visit the state.
In addition, Secret Service agents are mandated to investigate threats to the country’s financial system. This includes counterfeiting and electronic crimes such as fraud, skimming, and Nigerian scams. The Secret Service is also mandated to provide assistance when children are missing or being exploited.
Requirements to Become a Secret Service Agent in Wyoming
Prospective agents must meet a number of requirements and have either a high level of education or previous law enforcement or investigative experience. Only U.S. citizens can apply to become Secret Service agents. Those seeking these types of jobs must be 21 to 36 years old. The agency may consider hiring older applicants if they are service veterans.
G-7 Applicants – If they do not have at least a year of relevant law enforcement experience conducting investigations, applicants for G-7 level Secret Service jobs in Wyoming must have either attended graduate school for at least a year OR have met one of several academic standards for their bachelor’s degree.
Acceptable academic standards include one of the following:
- Ranking in the top third of their graduating class
- Having been elected to a national honor society
- Having one of the following GPAs for the final two years or all courses:
- 3.0 for all courses
- 3.5 for courses in their major
G-9 Applicants – Those seeking careers as Secret Service agents at the G-9 level must meet more stringent requirements. If they do not have experience directly related to the duties of a Secret Service agent, these applicants must have one of the following degrees:
- Graduate (not subject-specific)
- LL.B.
- J.D.
Hiring Process and Training for Secret Service Agents
Applicants who look promising must go through a rigorous screening process. This includes an evaluation of physical fitness, written tests specific to writing reports, and finally, passing the Treasury Enforcement Agent exam.
After applicants have completed these steps, they go through several interviews. The final screen is a background check to determine whether the applicants can be granted a top-secret security clearance.
Recruits are trained at two different academies and must pass both courses. The first is the Basic Criminal Investigator Training program. This ten-week course takes place in Georgia. The second takes place at the Secret Service’s elite academy—the James J. Rowley Training Center. Recruits receive seventeen weeks of Special Agent Basic Training.
The specialized training for the Secret Service teaches agents to take part in both protective and investigative missions. They also receive executive/managerial and specialized tactical training.