1865 The Secret Service Division was created on July 5, 1865 in Washington, D.C., to suppress counterfeit currency. Chief William P. Wood was sworn in by Secretary of the Treasury Hugh McCulloch.
1867 Secret Service responsibilities were broadened to include "detecting persons perpetrating frauds against the government." This appropriation resulted in investigations into the Ku Klux Klan, non-conforming distillers, smugglers, mail robbers, land frauds, and a number of other infractions against the federal laws.
1870 Secret Service headquarters relocated to New York City.
1874 Secret Service headquarters returned to Washington, D.C.
1875 The first commission book and a new badge were issued to operatives.
1877 Congress passed an Act prohibiting the counterfeiting of any coin, gold or silver bar.
1883 Secret Service was officially acknowledged as a distinct organization within the Treasury Department.
1894 The Secret Service began informal part-time protection of President Cleveland.
1895 Congress passed corrective legislation for the counterfeiting or possession of counterfeit stamps.
1901 Congress informally requested Secret Service Presidential protection following the assassination of President William McKinley.
1902 The Secret Service assumed full-time responsibility for protection of the President. Two operatives were assigned full time to the White House Detail.
1906 Congress passed Sundry Civil Expenses Act for 1907 that provided funds for Presidential protection by the Secret Service.
Secret Service operatives began to investigate the western land frauds. The Service's investigations returned millions of acres of land to the government.
1908 Secret Service began protecting the president-elect. Also, President Roosevelt transferred Secret Service agents to the Department of Justice. They formed the nucleus of what is now the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
EXPANSION
1913 Congress authorized permanent protection of the president and the statutory authorization for president-elect protection.
1915 President Wilson directed the Secretary of the Treasury to have the Secret Service investigate espionage in the United States.
1917 Congress authorized permanent protection of the president's immediate family and made "threats" directed toward the president a federal violation.
1922 White House Police Force created on October 1, 1922, at the request of President Harding.
1930 White House Police Force was placed under the supervision of the Secret Service.
1951 Congress enacted legislation that permanently authorized Secret Service protection of the president, his immediate family, the president-elect, and the vice president, if he wishes. (Public Law - 82-79).
1961 Congress authorized protection of former presidents for a reasonable period of time.
1962 Congress expanded coverage to include the vice president (or the next officer to succeed the president) and the vice president-elect. (Public Law 87-829).
1963 Congress passed legislation for protection of Mrs. John F. Kennedy and her minor children for two years. (Public Law 83-195).
1965 Congress authorized protection of former presidents and their spouses during their lifetime and minor children until age 16.
1968 As a result of Robert F. Kennedy's assassination, Congress authorized protection of major presidential and vice presidential candidates and nominees. (Public Law 90-331). Congress also authorized protection of widows of presidents until death, or remarriage, and their children until age 16.
1970 White House Police Force renamed the Executive Protective Service and increased its responsibilities to include the protection of diplomatic missions in the Washington, D.C., area. (Public Law 91-217).
1971 Congress authorized Secret Service protection for visiting heads of a foreign state or government, or other official guests, as directed.
1975 The duties of Executive Protective Service were expanded to include protection of foreign diplomatic missions located throughout the United States and its territories.
1977 The Executive Protective Service was officially renamed the Secret Service Uniformed Division on November 15, 1977.
1984 Congress enacted legislation making the fraudulent use of credit and debit cards a federal violation. The law also authorized the Secret Service to investigate violations relating to credit and debit card fraud, federal-interest computer fraud, and fraudulent identification documents.
1986 Treasury Police Force merged into the Secret Service Uniformed Division on October 5, 1986.
A Presidential directive authorized protection of the accompanying spouse of the head of a foreign state or government.
1990 The Secret Service received concurrent jurisdiction with Department of Justice law enforcement personnel to conduct any kind of investigation, civil or criminal, related to federally insured financial institutions.
1994 The passage of the 1994 Cri