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Criminal Resource Manual

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Criminal Resource Manual
CRM 1500-1999

1527. Agreement Between The FBI And The Secret Service

AGREEMENT OF PROCEDURES

This agreement between the U.S. Secret Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation is to confirm our procedures to be followed in the event that a violation of law occurs involving a person or persons protected by the U.S. Secret Service pursuant to law and which falls within the investigative jurisdiction of the FBI.

In the event of the killing of a protectee of the U.S. Secret Service for which the FBI has investigative jurisdiction:

  1. The U.S. Secret Service during the immediate period thereafter will exercise control as an interim Federal presence until such time as the Director of the Secret Service and the Director of the FBI, or their designees, agree to an orderly transfer of responsibilities. In most instances, this should occur before or no later than the time of the autopsy. It is understood that concurrent with the transfer of responsibilities the Secret Service will release custody and control of the deceased protectee to the FBI, but may maintain a presence as deemed necessary by the Secret Service. During this period of time the FBI shall have presence in all situations to fully carry out their investigative responsibilities pursuant to law.
  2. During the immediate period following the killing of a protectee, the U.S. Secret Service will maintain and preserve any suspects, witnesses, and evidence under its control until such time as the FBI assumes its investigative responsibilities.
  3. The Secret Service and the FBI will coordinate all phases of the subsequent investigation or investigations into the killing of a protectee, and the Secret Service will have presence in all phases of the investigation, pursuant to the responsibilities of the Secret Service under law. This shall include mutual presence in any Command Post or Coordinating Center established by the FBI or Secret Service.

In the event of any other violation of law involving a protectee of the Secret Service for which the FBI has investigative jurisdiction:

  1. The same procedures shall be followed concerning control and presence as outlined above. The Directors of the Secret Service and the FBI, or their designees, shall agree to an orderly transfer of responsibilities.
  2. The Secret Service during the immediate period following the violation will maintain and preserve any suspects, witnesses, and evidence under its control until such time as the FBI assumes its investigative responsibilities.
  3. The FBI and the Secret Service will coordinate the subsequent investigation or investigations and the Secret Service will have presence in all phases of the investigations pursuant to its responsibilities under law.

The internal procedures are as follows:

  1. The FBI and the Secret Service will create internal directives to fully effect this agreement of procedures. In order to provide for an orderly and systematic investigation of the above described violations of law involving a Secret Service protectee where the FBI has investigative jurisdiction, the FBI and the Secret Service will construe the terms of this agreement liberally and will take such action as it necessary to insure a coordinated and complete Federal effort at every level.
  2. This agreement shall be reviewed annually by representatives of the FBI and the Secret Service, or at such other times an the FBI or the Secret Service may request, to insure that the agreement is both practical and productive. Revisions may be made with the mutual concurrence of the Directors of the FBI and the Secret Service.

BY /s/ William H. Webster, Director Federal Bureau of Investigation, Dec. 11, 1978
BY /s/ H. S. Knight, Director U.S. Secret Service, Dec. 8, 1978

[cited in Criminal Resource Manual 1534]