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07-15-2010, 06:54 AM
I'm in the application process and was wondering the amount of time from start to finish. Any advice is welcomed.
Thanks!!!

08-08-2010, 11:29 PM
It depends on the office that's recruting you...could be six months or over a year. Some offices are very good about getting people throught the process, but the thing that kills it all is HQ. It is the blackhole where applicant files go to die. Documents get lost, results of test disappear, and sometimes you have to go through certain aspects of the process twice.

I would make a copy of every piece of paper you turn in and make a log with the name, date,and time of every person you talk to no matter how small or trivial the conversation may be. I didn't get called for an interview for over a year, had my file transferred from one office to another, and had urinalysis results that got lost and held my app up for two months. The worst part was no one ever called me to tell me.

To be honest, though, I would put in an application with the FBI or DEA and hope they call first. The USSS is a sinking ship.

08-09-2010, 12:01 AM
DITTO

Code
08-09-2010, 12:52 AM
I just had my initial interview. I felt the interview went very well. The interviewer said it would take 6 months to a year to get through the processing. What's it like to work in the Uniformed Division?

08-09-2010, 02:19 AM
I just had my initial interview. I felt the interview went very well. The interviewer said it would take 6 months to a year to get through the processing. What's it like to work in the Uniformed Division?

I've been retired too long to render an opinion, but my observation based upon postings I've seen by some former UD officers is that some of them feel like the agents regard them as "second class citizens."

I hope some currently employed UD officers might come on here and give you a better answer.

08-09-2010, 11:12 AM
I just had my initial interview. I felt the interview went very well. The interviewer said it would take 6 months to a year to get through the processing. What's it like to work in the Uniformed Division?

I've been retired too long to render an opinion, but my observation based upon postings I've seen by some former UD officers is that some of them feel like the agents regard them as "second class citizens."

I hope some currently employed UD officers might come on here and give you a better answer.

I thought management had stopped doing this, but I guess not. Don't let them sucker you into going UD with the promise that you will be made an agent. Management did this right after 9-11 when many UD officers (over 300) left to go to the Air Marshals and UD was very short on manpower. Let's just say that after two years, there were some that threatened lawsuits after they were not made agents. UD is an awful job. They train you to be a police officer, but you will actually get in trouble if you do police work. I've known people who have been threatened with suspension for pulling over a drunk driver who blew over a .20 on her BAC. The hours can be very long and you're often confined to a box. If you're planning on going UD to go agent eventually, don't. Go with a local PD or state LE agency first. Keep your options open, too. There are other agencies out there besides the USSS that offer more of a life. Read the other posts on this site and compare that with what your recruiter is telling you.

09-24-2010, 06:50 PM
How would you rank the USSS against the DSS? As in which do you suppose is better to work for (management wise, family considerations, assignments etc). Obviously the DSS requires a lot of overseas assignments, and dignitary protection can be exhausting at any level. Beyond that, as the experts in the field, any additional insight? I always considered USSS the premier agency. Afterall, if I'm not mistaken, the SY (modern day DSS) was started with a few secret service agents.