A Day In The Life Of A Secret Service Agent

1. 5:30 AM - 6:00 AM: Time to wake-up

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It's an early start when it comes to the day in the life of a Secret Service agent. 5.30 is the time to wake up, get showered, and get your breakfast ready for the day ahead. It's super important to get sustenance because the days can be very long and intense!

2. 6:00 AM - 6:30 AM: Arrive at work and sort out the day's plan

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At around 6 AM a secret agent arrives at work and they then have to sort out the day's plan. This can mean lots of different things, sometimes new information comes in overnight which means that the day's schedule has changed if there has been a warning of potential threats.

3. 6:30 AM - 7:00 AM: Physical fitness

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Then it's time for the physical fitness to get us prepared for the day to come. It's a good way to get the mind and body switched on, and as a secret service agent they have to be super fit to be able to do their job, so regular physical training is a must.

4. 7:00 AM - 7:30 AM: Morning briefing

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Morning briefing comes next. This is where a secret service agent gets told about any important updates, any changes in the information, or any change to the perceived threat to the public or a client. It's an opportunity to raise any questions or concerns.

5. 7:30 AM - 8:00 AM: Briefing and intelligence review

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Intelligence involves all of the information on the risk, the public, safety, and everything involved with how a Secret Service agent keeps people safe. This is much more in-depth than the briefing as they sift through minute details. It's a critical part of the day as nothing can be missed!

6. 8:00 AM - 8:30 AM: Security planning

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So now the information and the intelligence have been thoroughly reviewed, it's time to take that and start forming a plan of action. A secret service agent has to carefully plan or amend any plans that have been being worked on for weeks, in order to keep up with the most recent intelligence.

7. 8:30 AM - 9:00 AM: Equipment check

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It's absolutely crucial that equipment is checked every single day, even multiple times a day. This is a secret service agent's protection which means that they rely heavily on it. If the equipment doesn't work, it poses a huge risk to the public and the client and the checks stop this from happening.

8. 9:00 AM - 9:30 AM: Review new information from the day before and new findings

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There is a LOT of reviewing in the life of a secret Service agent because the information is so important, that it cannot be wrong. Plans are deciphered down the the very last detail and information is constantly being updated so the plans have to constantly be under review.

9. 9:30 AM - 10:00 AM: Travel to the assignment

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Now it's time to actually travel to the assignment. This isn't simple in itself, because a Secret Service agent has to be undercover, otherwise, it could leak information that could jeopardize everything. They also have to make sure that they travel securely, as they can be in danger.

10. 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM: Visiting venues and risk assessments

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When they arrive at the venue it's time to check it out. This isn't a quick once-over, it's a full strip-down search of the entire venue. Every aspect of the place is assessed from top to bottom to be able to be sure that this venue is useable. Even the surrounding areas are checked.

11. 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM: Coordinate with the safety teams

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Now the venue has been checked, a Secret Service agent will coordinate with the safety teams involved. The venue cannot be left after a check and so safety teams have to come in. This is because as soon as everybody leaves a venue, it is considered possibly unsafe again as someone could infiltrate the space.

12. 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM: Take a lunch break

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Finally time for a well-needed lunch break. Again, food is important so no matter how busy a secret service agent is they have to have their lunch. It's a physically and mentally grueling job, and this break is definitely necessary. The afternoon to come will be equally as intense as the morning.

13. 3:00 PM - 3:30 PM: Pre-event security setup

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After lunch, it's the pre-event security setup. So the checks have been done and the venue is secured. But now it's time to go over the protocol of the security staff and the secret agents to have a full plan in case of every eventuality. These also have to be super thorough, so that everybody knows their plan of action.

14. 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM: Protectees arrival

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So the client or protectee will then arrive at the chosen venue after all the procedures have been done. Their arrival is one of the most pivotal moments, getting them from A to B can be difficult as secret agents aim to make the journey as safe but also discreet as they possibly can.

15. 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM: Go through event security

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Now it's time to debrief the cline on all of the security that has been set up in advance for the day ahead. This is so that they feel reassured and know that the correct measures have been taken. But also, it's so that they can follow the correct procedures so this all has to be debriefed.

16. 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM: Secure transportation to the event

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Now it's time for the secure transportation units which have been organized by the secret agents. Sometimes it's cars, sometimes it's a train or a motorbike or even a private secret service plane! There are a lot of resources within the Secret Service that can be used depending on the client.

17. 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM: Focus on crown safety and public welfare

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Of course, it isn't just all about the client or the protectee. It's about public safety! If any event could harm public safety then it cannot go ahead, so the steps to minimize this and make it as safe as it could possibly be have to be taken. The public is also told of the event at the correct time.

18. 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM: Dinner time

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Now it's time for a well-deserved dinner break. The third and last meal of the day is something usually consisting of meat and veggies. It's hearty and it's filling because it's been a long and tiring day and it's not even over yet. So this half-hour dinner break is essential.

19. 9:00 PM - 9:30 PM: Now it's time for documentation and reports

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In the Secret Service, being an agent isn't all that you see in the movies. There is also a LOT of documentation that has to be sorted. Because so many procedures and processes happen, it's essential they are written down so that the authorities know exactly what measures were taken.

20. 9:30 PM - 10:00 PM: Evening security debrief

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At around 9:30 PM (depending on how the day goes) it's usually time for the evening security debrief where the people even higher up will debrief how the day went, what went well and worked, or anything that was missed or procedures that were not followed.

21. 10:00 PM - 10:30 PM: Equipment Training

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Equipment changes all the time as new technology is made and advances are discovered, the secret service has to be constantly updated with what is the most effective. So this consists of a lot of changes happening frequently. Therefore, almost every day there will be some kind of equipment training.

22. 10:30 PM - 11:00 PM: Protocol training

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It's the same with protocols. These can change all of the time depending on the intelligence the Secret Service has received. It can vary from area, state, and even by country. Protocol training also happens every day and the length varies, depending on whether any changes were made or not.

23. 11:00 PM - 11:30 PM: Liaisons with external agents

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There are so many different units of the Secret Service and agencies and authorities outside the Secret Service that a Secret Service agent has to keep up to date with on a daily basis. For example, they work closely with the government, so meetings and phone calls are frequent.

24. 11:30 PM - 12:00 AM: Public engagement

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If an event happens, the public has to be informed. The Secret Service will discuss with the government and the media on how best to convey the message, and what details to include. This usually happens later on in the day, after the event and so it may appear on the news at night.

25. 12:00 PM - 12:30 PM: Finalize plans for the next day

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Then a secret service agent cannot go home without planning for the next day. Although many of these plans will already be in place, it's crucial to go over everything and make any necessary amendments and just to familiarize themselves with what will be occurring the next day.

26. 12:30 PM - 1:00 AM: Monitor the security cameras

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Monitoring the security cameras has to happen at various times of the day. And it will all be reviewed again at the end of the day. This is because it's important to check there have been no security breaches, or for example, any drones that have entered the area that could have collected intelligence.

27. 1:00 PM - 1:30 AM: Shift handover and speaking to the night shift agents

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The shift is almost done, and it's time for somebody else to take over the night shift happens and it's normal to talk with one another and inform them of the events of the day so that they are already informed before they read through their documentation and the intelligence.

28. 1:30 PM - 2:00 AM: Security and equipment checks

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Before going home, a secret agent has to be thoroughly checked in terms of security, and equipment. This is to check that they have not forgotten anything or taken any equipment which could jeopardize their or anybody else's safety. And, nothing can be taken out of the building that could be used as intelligence.

29. 2:00 PM - 2:30 AM: Leave work and travel home

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Finally, a secret service agent will get in their car. The day is done, and it's long and tiring. It's time that they travel home and start the commute. It's always a relief to finish another successful and stressful day. The car journey home is a chance for an agent to start to unwind.

30. 2:30 PM - 3:00 AM: Finally time to sleep

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By the time a secret service agent arrives home, most of the time they want to go straight to sleep. Understandably, they need to rest and recover from the day and prepare for the day ahead. Shifts are super long and intense. And in this line of work, you cannot afford to be tired or not perform your best.