The Supreme Court of the United States Police is a small U.S. federal law enforcement agency headquartered in the District of Columbia, whose mission is to ensure the integrity of the constitutional mission of the U.S. Supreme Court by protecting the Supreme Court building, the Justices, employees, guests, and visitors. Although the Court consists of nine Justices, its police force has 145 members, a 1:13 ratio.

Established in 1935 , the Supreme Court security force was tasked to provide protection for the Supreme Court building. The Court had previously resided in the U.S. Capitol Building, and the original force of 33 officers were selected from the ranks of the United States Capitol Police.

A separate police department was formally created by Congress in 1949, but that act specified that the officers' duties would consist solely of patrolling the Supreme Court building and its surroundings. The Supreme Court police were not authorized to carry guns or to make arrests outside of their small Washington jurisdiction. If a justice required or requested a bodyguard, he was provided with either a federal marshal or a member of the Supreme Court Police who was temporarily deputized as a marshal. In May of 1982, however, then-Chief Justice Warren E. Burger, citing a rise in "terrorist activities, assassination attempts, and street crime", requested greater powers for the Supreme Court police, and Congress complied.

Currently, the Supreme Court Police are responsible for protecting the Chief Justice, Associate Justices, building occupants, and the Court's historic building and grounds. Additional responsibilities include courtroom security, dignitary protection, emergency response, and providing assistance to building visitors.

Units of the Supreme Court Police include:

• Uniformed Services
• Protective Services
• Threat Assessment Unit
• Background Investigation Unit
• Honor Guard
• Key Response Squad
• HazMat/Bomb Response.

SCOTUS Police Officers are trained at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Georgia. They may retire at the age of 50 with 20 years of qualifying service, or at any age with 25 years of service. They are awarded "enhanced retirement benefits".

See also

• List of United States federal law enforcement agencies

References