Marshals Service headquarters: 600 Army/Navy Drive, Arlington VA 22202

To qualify for training as an U.S. Deputy Marshal, you must be a U.S. citizen, or a citizen of the Northern Mariana Islands, at least 21 and not have reached your 36th birthday on appointment. Candidates must have uncorrected vision not worse than 20/200 (Snellen) and corrected 20/20 in one eye and not worse than 20/40 in the other eye. All candidates must pass a color vision test, a hearing test, and a physical/medical exam. Must possess a valid state driver’s license and good driving record. Must pass an extensive background investigation. Applicants must have received a bachelor’s degree in any field from a properly accredited college or university, or three years of general qualifying experience, or a combination of education and qualifying experience.

The educational background is represented by: PS: (prior background) 11-

It is currently quite difficult to enter the USMS; there is currently (2001) a three year no-new-applications delay (military personnel are an exception). Quarterly examinations are given to test candidates whose applications are accepted.

Prospective Deputy Marshals take the 8 week long Basic Criminal Investigators Course at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Georgia and then pass into a 6 week long Basic US Deputy Marshal Training School (aka U.S. Marshals Service Training Academy), also at FLETC. Skills gained by graduates include:

Paramedic 11-

Forensics/Criminology 11-

Tactics 8-

 

Bureaucracy 11-

Interrogation/Interviewing 8-

PS: Law Enforcement 11-

WF: small arms

‘martial arts’ grapple, hold, restrain, retain/disarm wpn.

KS: criminal law 8-

 

Bugging/Surveillance 8-

Streetwise 8-

OCV 4 with pistol

OCV 3 with other small arms

 

Upon completion of this program, graduates receive Deputy Marshal credentials. There is a one year probationary training period. Remember that many DUSMs have skills from prior military experience.

DUSMs enter service as GS grade 5 if they met only the basic requirements, or GS grade 7 if they had prior law enforcement experience, “superior academic achievement” (high GPA or a graduate degree). Those deputies who entered at the GS-5 level (usually military personnel) are eligible for promotion to GS-7 after 1 year; those deputies who entered at the GS-7 level are eligible for promotion to GS-9 after 1 year. There is a 3 year ‘certification’ process before promotion to the GS-11 level is possible. DUSMs at the GS-11 level are Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshals, in charge of 4 or more DUSMs in a particular district. Inspector, Chief Inspector, and Senior Inspector positions within the Marshals Service are GS-12, GS-13, and GS-14; these ranks are mostly used in the “out of the office” units listed below. The highest civil service rank that can be achieved is GS-15, as a Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal (the executive officer to the actual U.S. Marshal of the district; some large districts have more than one Chief Deputy). A few Chief Deputy U.S. Marshals are assigned to ‘odd’ positions such as the Training Academy, EPIC (El Paso Intelligence Center), and Interpol liaison. DUSMs DO NOT qualify for availability pay; also note that almost all FBI and Secret Service agents are GS-12.

There are three badges currently in use by the Marshals Service, with the legends: “US Marshal” (the 94 Presidential appointees); “Special Deputy US Marshal” (see below); or “Deputy US Marshal” (everyone else, including the TOE Deputy Marshals). A large number of official and unofficial patches, cap badges, etc. exist for the various units within the Marshals Service.

Special Deputy U.S. Marshals: these are almost always (in this century) federal employees who need arrest and enforcement authority beyond those of their ‘home’ agency. Customs Sky Marshals, Federal court security officers, FAA special agents, EPA special agents, Agriculture and Education department investigators, and many others. Recently, many state and local police officers have been given Special Deputy status when assigned to the OCDETF (Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force).

Posseman: Deputy U.S. Marshals are allowed by law to form a posse, whose members would be Federal agents for the duration; however, the last possemen were summoned in the 1930s. No official badge was ever created for possemen.

TOE Deputy U.S. Marshal: In the 1950s and 60s a number of special DUSMs were created, given lifetime appointments by the President and removeable only by the President. They did not have to meet any requirements, take any tests, or pass any training courses; being presidential appointees, their pay was entirely outside of the General Service system -- they apparently are eligible for an hourly wage. Some worked as regular Deputy U.S. Marshals, out of the normal offices; others had less formal positions. “TOE” stands for Temporary Official Employment;” at least two persons still hold their appointments (as of 2001).

DUSMs are eligible for retirement after 25 years of Federal service (including prior military), or at age 50 with 20 years prior Federal service. Mandatory retirement age is 57 (except for the TOE Deputies).

US Marshals are responsible for enforcing federal at the local level, and act as the enforcement agents for the executive branch of government. DUSMs may be assigned to different units with varying missions, such as: Court Security (including jury protection), Federal Fugitives, Prisoner Custody, Prisoner Transport, Prisoner Airline, Witness Protection Program, National Asset Seizure and Forfeiture, Federal Court Order Execution, Air Operations Branch, Missile Escort Program, and Special Operations Group. Some are detailed below:

Special Operations Group: a specially-trained, self-supporting tactical response team, responsible for dangerous fugitive apprehension, dignitary protection, court security, transportation of high-profile/dangerous prisoners, witness protection, asset siezures, and other situations as directed by the Attorney General; these are of course mostly regular USMS missons -- SOG is only called in for particularly hazardous operations, and can assemble a force anywhere in the country within six hours. Most SOG deputies remain on duty at Marshals Service offices, on-call for SOG missions. SOG also maintains a small, full-time operational cadre at the Marshals Service Tactical Operations Center in Camp Beauregard, LA.; this is also the training site for SOG deputies. The basic SOG skills (in addition to the regular USMS skills) include:

WF: grenade launcher

Climbing 11-

Concealment 11-

Demolitions 8-

 

Stealth 11-

Tactics 11-

KS: CBR 8-

KS: Orienteering 8-

PS: Instructor 8-

PS: Law Enforcement 12-

 

PS: Mountaineer 11-

OCV 7 with pistol

OCV 6 with other small arms

OCV 6 with hand-to-hand combat (unarmed)

 

Federal Fugitive Unit: before joining this unit, DUSMs attend a ten-day Fugitive Investigators Training Program at FLETC, Glynco, Georgia. Special emphasis is placed on operational and tactical aspects of the physical arrest, case management, and officer safety. This unit locates and arrests persons who have escaped custody, or who have violated the terms of their bond, parole, or probation. The USMS captures two-thirds of all federal fugitives returned to custody -- about 17,000 annually -- and executes more arrest warrants than all other federal law enforcement agencies combined. They also work with INTERPOL to extradite Americans from abroad, and to apprehend fugitives wanted by foreign nations.

Missile Escort Program: these DUSMs are specially trained to provide security and law enforcement for DoD/USAF movements of nuclear warheads between military bases.

Judgement Enforcement Teams: formed in 1992, these DUSMs work with the Financial Litigation Units of U.S. Attorneys’ offices, to investigate cases where individuals have reneged on debts to the Federal government (fines, fraud, student loans, medical training agreements, etc.). The DUSMs identify debtor assets, and arrange for enforcement of other judgement requirements.