The Secret Service

                Today did not start off well, I had my AP Calculus exam. When I got to the Marshal’s office in the afternoon, Susan pitied me because she also doesn’t like math. So I didn’t have to do any paper work today. On the other hand, I did get to visit the Secret Service office. What stuck out to me most about the Secret Service office was the numerous hanged pictures of Presidents. Honestly I saw countless pictures of both Bushes, Reagan, and Trump. (I wonder where they land on the political compass hmm…) But regardless of political views everyone who worked there was very welcoming and nice. (I really want to abbreviate Secret Service to SS for convenience but I know that would be inappropriate.) 

The top is counterfeit~ You can tell because the seal is blurry

So for those readers who are unaware, the Secret Service has two jobs: security and investigation. Security, which most people know the Secret Service handles, means protecting the President, Vice President, and their families. The investigation side, this is largely unknown, is capturing financial criminals. The financial crimes the Secret Service investigates are usually either money laundering or counterfeit currency. A few of the agents showed me some counterfeit bills. Most counterfeit currency is made by bleaching dollar bills and reprinting lager amounts on them. There are currency pens, which most stores and banks have, that will react to any bleach stains left on the bills. Surprisingly, the Secret Service office receives over a million dollars a year in counterfeit, just from northeast Ohio. The agents said there is an abundance of fake money here because of the abundance of heroin addicts who use fake currency to fund their addictions.

A picture of Reagan that

can be found in a few Secret Service offices

Also at the Secret Service office I met an agent working on a phone tap of a suspected money launderer. They sat around five computer screens constantly waiting for there to be a phone call. The phone had to be monitored 24/7, even though there were only around six calls a week. I also viewed their technology lab. In the lab, forensic investigators went through suspects’ cell phones and computers. They told me the hardest part of their jobs is unlocking IPhones.