Life in the Secret Service in the 1930s

Taylor Harbin

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I've been doing some research into smuggling in the 1930s (post-Prohibition) and have read lots of old newspaper articles involving the US Secret Service. Nearly all of the books I've found deal exclusively with executive protection and not with the agency's role in suppression counterfeiting or other crimes. Even memoirs like "Five Presidents" by Clint Hill start with Eisenhower and doesn't seem to discuss training, organization, or how various jobs were delegated to the agents (based on a Google Books preview). I've reached out to the National Archives for help, but with COVID still on the rampage it might be some time before they get around to my inquiry. I haven't tried scholarly sources like JStor yet, but that's next on my list.

So far, the only thing I know about the USSS at the time is that the chief, William Moran, was always at odds with J. Edgar Hoover, and they merged with the White House Police in 1930. The rest is ambiguous.
 

ironmikezero

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If you're looking for info on threat or criminal investigations that have not gone to court, almost all are considered classified (not public information). Court records may be accessible, if not sealed. In all candor, don't expect much; in the course of investigations maintaining a low-profile and operating quietly enhances the overall effectiveness and efficiency of the USSS.
 

Taylor Harbin

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Do you think I’d have better luck studying a different agency, like the FBI?
 

Bing Z

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The FBI has a program to help writers to create an accurate portrayal of the Bureau. But whether it applies to historic scenarios or is the program still ongoing (the link points to a 2008 page) is unknown. I last heard about the Feds conducting a 1-day workshop in a NYC crime writers conference (not sure if it was the ThrillerFest) a few years back.
 

Taylor Harbin

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The FBI has a program to help writers to create an accurate portrayal of the Bureau. But whether it applies to historic scenarios or is the program still ongoing (the link points to a 2008 page) is unknown. I last heard about the Feds conducting a 1-day workshop in a NYC crime writers conference (not sure if it was the ThrillerFest) a few years back.
Thanks for the link. I also found a website called historicalgmen, which was made by a retired Special Agent.