United States Federal Protective Service
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Office of Federal Protective Service (FPS) is a branch of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and is responsible for the security of over 8,800 owned and leased Federal buildings, facilities, properties and other federal assets. The FPS is a force of 2000 federal police officers which provides security police services to U.S. Federal buildings and other properties administered by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). It also protects other properties as authorized.
Its personnel have full law enforcement authority to respond to criminal incidents and emergencies. It also maintains a small force of plainclothes detectives called special agents to investigate crimes occurring on federal properties and conducts counter-intelligence investigations as needed. One of the FPS's tasks is the supervision of the approximately 10,000 contract security guards assigned to protect Federal buildings. It also conducts background checks on contract workers in federal buildings. Uniformed FPS officers and special agents respond to calls for assistance, conduct investigations and provide crime prevention tips, as well as assist in occupant emergency planning.
FPS offers a full range of protective services and security capabilities, including:
- Specialized response capabilities, including Canine, Hazardous Materials, and Weapons of Mass Destruction Response Teams.
- Intelligence-sharing and investigative collaboration with law enforcement agencies at local, state, and federal levels; key participation in Federal Anti-Terrorism Task Forces.
- Continuous monitoring of facility alarms and emergencies through four FPS “MegaCenter” remote dispatch control centers.
- Protection support for public demonstrations, special events, including Presidential inaugurations and sporting events, such as the Olympic games and the Kentucky Derby.
The FPS was established by act of Congress on 11 January 1971 as part of the Public Buildings Service of the General Services Administration. It traces its history to six watchmen hired by Congress in 1790 to protect the buildings and properties of the seat of government, to include those of the President, the Congress and other public offices.
In accordance with the Homeland Security Act of 2002, in 2003 the FPS became part of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Bureau of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and its head was retitled from Assistant Commissioner to Director. The Director also serves as the chairman of the Federal Interagency Security Committee which is concerned with the physical security of all federal facilities.
