Our speaker at the last Rotary meeting was Special Agent in charge of the San Antonio office of the Secret Service, Brian Gibson.
Brian was previously in the McAllen office, and has been in the Secret Service for twenty five years.
The Secret Service was created in 1865 shortly after President Lincoln was killed at Ford's Theater in Washington DC. The agency's initial role was to investigate and combat counterfeit currency.
Its role was expanded in the 1880's to include "detecting persons perpetrating frauds against the government." This resulted in investigations into the Ku Klux Klan, nonconforming distillers, smugglers, mail robbers, land frauds and a number of other infractions against federal laws.
Today's Uniformed Division has its roots from the creation of the White House Police Force in 1922. After the JFK assination, the Warren Commission's Report compelled the agengy to undergo severe reforms. Today, in addition to protecting the President and Vice President, the agency protects presidential candidates and visiting foriegn dignitaries.
Its duties also include coordinating security for National Special Security events in the US, investigating fraud and cyber crimes, and educating local agencies and schools about the psychological profile of those who commit mass shootings.