The U.S. Secret Service is launching one of the largest hiring efforts in its history, aiming to bring on roughly 4,000 new employees by 2028 as it prepares for an intense stretch of high-profile security demands, including the presidential election and the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Agency leaders say the plan would increase the workforce by about 20%, pushing total staffing above 10,000 for the first time. The effort is designed to offset retirements, reduce burnout, and stabilize an agency that has faced years of heavy workloads and rising operational pressures.
Under a strategy led by Deputy Director Matthew Quinn, the Secret Service plans to expand its special agent ranks from about 3,500 to roughly 5,000. The agency also wants to add hundreds of officers to its Uniformed Division, bringing that force to about 2,000, along with additional support staff. Quinn said hiring has become the agency’s top priority after protection itself.
Officials say the need is urgent. The protective mission has expanded in recent years, requiring agents and officers to spend long stretches on the road securing candidates, officials and major events. Many experienced agents have left for other agencies or private-sector jobs, while a large cohort hired after the Sept. 11 attacks is nearing retirement.
The hiring surge faces significant obstacles. Former officials point to a limited pool of qualified candidates, intense competition from other federal law enforcement agencies — particularly immigration enforcement — and lengthy hiring and training processes. Getting hired as a Secret Service agent involves multiple interviews, extensive background checks and a demanding polygraph exam, steps that can take well over a year to complete.
Agency leaders say they are working to speed things up without lowering standards. The Secret Service has begun holding accelerated hiring events where candidates complete several assessments over a few days, rather than over months. Officials say the timeline from application to job offer has already been reduced to under a year, with hopes of cutting it further.
Training capacity is another concern. All new agents and officers must attend basic training at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers in Georgia, a campus that is expected to be heavily used as agencies such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement expand hiring. While Secret Service leaders say training slots are secured for now, some former officials worry competition could intensify.
The pressure will only grow as 2028 approaches. In addition to the election, the agency will help coordinate security for the Summer Olympics and Paralympics, the first U.S.-hosted Games since 1996. With a large portion of the workforce expected to be retirement-eligible by then, officials acknowledge the challenge ahead.
Source: Axios, wapo