Diplomatic Security Service: What Do They Do?

The Diplomatic Security Service is the federal law enforcement and security element of the United States' Department of State. It protects diplomatic assets, personnel, and information, while also combating visa and passport fraud. But they do more than that. If you keep reading this blog post, you’ll find out a lot more about them.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DIPLOMATIC SECURITY SERVICE: OVERVIEW

DIPLOMATIC SECURITY SERVICE: MISSION

DIPLOMATIC SECURITY SERVICE: MOBILE SECURITY DEPLOYMENTS (MSD)

DIPLOMATIC SECURITY SERVICE: MOBILE SECURITY DEPLOYMENTS TRAINING & REQUIREMENTS 

DIPLOMATIC SECURITY SERVICE: SPECIAL AGENT TRAINING & REQUIREMENTS

DIPLOMATIC SECURITY SERVICE: CONCLUSION

DIPLOMATIC SECURITY SERVICE: OVERVIEW

DSS is a part of the Bureau of Diplomatic Safety and is tasked with securing diplomacy and protecting the integrity of U.S. travel documents. DSS is the most widely represented U.S. law enforcement and security organization in the world, protecting people, property, and information at 275 State Department locations around the globe. This is what makes DSS special agents so unique, they are both foreign service members and federal law enforcement officers with investigatory and arresting powers. 

As far as protection goes, they provide continuous security for the U.S. Secretary of State, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, and visiting cabinet-level foreign dignitaries when in the United States. They also protect emissaries from international organizations and visiting royalty. 

DIPLOMATIC SECURITY SERVICE: MISSION

While they’re mostly known for their protection services, the DSS does much more than that. They’re, after all, a law enforcement agency.

On the investigation side of the house, DSS investigates allegations of criminal and administrative misconduct involving Department of State employees, dependents, contractors, and other U.S. personnel serving in diplomatic communities, in addition to investigating administrative and criminal cases in the United States with a connection to Department of State operations. They also have their hand in cybercrime, as DSS investigators confront the dramatic increase in crimes involving computers and other electronic technologies affecting the Department of State. 

They are also involved in the investigation of human and sex trafficking, document fraud, international parental kidnapping, violations of the Protect Act, assaults on federally protected persons, fugitive arrests overseas, counterterrorism and counterintelligence investigations, and international organized crime cases.

Not only that, DSS personnel execute search warrants worldwide on electronic devices and storage media, and they are tasked with tracking and capturing fugitives who have fled U.S. jurisdiction to avoid prosecution. They’re even a part of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force.

DIPLOMATIC SECURITY SERVICE: MOBILE SECURITY DEPLOYMENTS (MSD)

Twenty-four hours a day, domestically and overseas, when the U.S. Department of State needs help, MSD answers the call. As a federal tactical response unit, MSD is the State Department’s on-call crisis response and contingency operations element. It consists of nine teams of special agents. Each team of six is small, cohesive, and travels together to global hot spots.

Each MSD unit is self-sufficient and supported by its internal operational coordinators and a fusion/support element, including tactical communications and intelligence, administration, logistics, and training sections. They spend half of their time on deployment, and the majority of their operations are overseas, with only 10% conducted in the United States.

MSD’s three primary missions are: 

Mobile Training Teams (MTT), which hold classes for local law enforcement at embassies and consulates, U.S. Marine Corps Security Guards (MSG), and select foreign personnel.

Security Support Teams (SST), which are trained for counterattacks on U.S. embassies or threats against diplomatic personnel. SSTs react to international crises or threats on short notice in order to enhance and ensure the security of U.S. Department of State personnel and facilities, and assist in evacuations if necessary.

And then Tactical Support Teams (TST). They are typically assigned as a heavily armed reaction force in support of the protective service details assigned to high-profile protectees, such as the Secretary of State. TSTs typically shadow such protective details.

DIPLOMATIC SECURITY SERVICE: MOBILE SECURITY DEPLOYMENTS TRAINING & REQUIREMENTS

Okay, so now you know a bit about the Mobile Security Deployments. But what about their training? And how would you find yourself in this line of work?

Just remember, you have to be a DSS special agent first. DSS special agents already go through several months of rigorous training, but MSD members complete an additional five months of training. This training is known as the “Green Team.” You’re probably familiar with this term if you know about SEAL Team 6. Green Team training prepares agents for small-unit operations in high-threat environments with little or no outside support.

MSD candidates learn a lot during the curriculum:

• Advanced tactical firearms training, 
• Defensive tactics instructor training 
• Counter-terrorist driving skills 
• Basic rope operations 
• Dynamic room entry
• Land navigation
• Helicopter operations
• Tactical first-responder training
• High-risk survival training
• Familiarization with explosives countermeasures and chemical and biological agents 

Tours at MSD are typically three years long, and during their tour, agents continue to train at DS schools and specialized tactics schools all over the U.S. 

DIPLOMATIC SECURITY SERVICE: SPECIAL AGENT TRAINING & REQUIREMENTS

In order to even get into the training, you have to volunteer for it once you’re already a DSS agent. The trainee involved has to be a DSS agent. The training is approximately nine months long, consisting of specialized initial training and orientation. Training will mostly be at FLETC, FASTC, and Washington, DC. 

• Basic Special Agent Course (BSAC) (including FLETC) - 9 months 
• Basic Regional Security Office Course (RSO School) - 3 months 
• High Threat Operations Course (HTOC) - 12 weeks 
• Language Training - 2–12 months per language
• Basic Field Firearms Officer Course (BFFOC) - 2 weeks
• High Risk Environment Firearms Course (HREFC) - 3 days

And these are the basic requirements to join the DSS as a Special Agent: 

• Be a U.S. citizen and available for worldwide service 
• At least 20 years old and not older than 36 years (waiverable for veterans) 
• Fit for physical exertion and pass a pre employment physical readiness test 
• Able to obtain/maintain a Top Secret Security Clearance and TS/SCI access 
• Able to obtain an appropriate Foreign Service Medical Clearance
• Able to obtain a favorable Suitability Review Panel determination
• Able to testify in court

While we focused on special agents in this blog post, there’s more to the DSS than just them. It also includes security engineering officers, security technical specialists, diplomatic couriers, security protective specialists, uniformed protective officers, civil servants, contractors, locally engaged security professionals, U.S. Marine Security Guards, and a contingent of U.S. Navy Seabees.

DIPLOMATIC SECURITY SERVICE: CONCLUSION

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