DIPLOMATIC SECURITY PROTECTS

UNIT ED STAT E S D E PART M E N T O F S TAT EBUREAU O F D I PLO MAT IC S E CUR IT YD I PL OM AT IC S EC U RITYPRO T E CT S1

DIPLOMATIC SECURITYPROTECTSThe Bureau of Diplomatic Security is the security and lawenforcement arm of the U.S. Department of State.Diplomatic Security’s mission is to provide a secureenvironment for the conduct of American diplomacyby protecting people, property, and information. DSis a global force more than 35,000 strong, and protectionis central to our mission.DS Protects PeopleDiplomatic Security provides protection to visiting foreigndignitaries during approximately 200 visits to the UnitedStates each year. DS special agents provide continuoussecurity for the U.S. Secretary of State and the U.S.Ambassador to the United Nations. Diplomatic Securityalso protects visiting cabinet-level foreign dignitaries,foreign ministers, royalty, and many former heads ofstate who visit the United States. Among the noteworthydignitaries we have protected are Great Britain’s PrinceCharles, Burma’s Aung San Suu Kyi, President MahmoudAbbas of the Palestinian Authority, and His Holiness theDalai Lama of Tibet. DS provides this security throughoutthe year and at special events, including inaugurations andthe annual United Nations General Assembly in New YorkCity. The security DS provides to visiting dignitaries is basedon the level of potential threat they face in the UnitedStates.DS special agents protect His Holiness the Dalai Lama of Tibet duringa visit to the United States.DS Protects People. 1DS Protects Property. 3DS provides protection in some of the mostdangerous countries in the world—includingAfghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, and Yemen. DiplomaticSecurity provides security for U.S. ambassadors andembassy staff, and in a few exceptional cases, for foreignleaders in their own countries, such as the presidents ofLiberia and Afghanistan.DS Protects Information. 721

Diplomatic Security has been involved in security for theOlympic Games for nearly three decades, and has beenthe U.S. government’s security coordinator for everyOlympics since 2004. When the Olympic Games areheld in the United States, DS provides security to visitingforeign dignitaries. For games held overseas, DiplomaticSecurity works with the host country and other U.S. lawenforcement agencies to ensure U.S. athletes, spectators,and sponsors experience a safe event.Diplomatic Security works with other law enforcementagencies, including the Uniformed Division of the U.S.Secret Service, to provide security for foreign embassies,consulates, and other missions in the United States. DSconsults regularly with foreign mission officials on issuessuch as personal security, emergency action plans,physical security standards, crime prevention, andsurveillance detection.2DS Protects PropertyAmerican embassies overseas are often targets ofterrorists, criminals, and spies. They have sustainedhundreds of significant and high-profile attacks in recentyears, such as the 1998 bombing of U.S. facilities inEast Africa that left hundreds dead. Because of thesepersistent and deadly threats, overseas security is atthe heart of the DS mission. To protect employees, theDepartment of State has invested billions of dollars toenhance security measures at every U.S. embassy anddiplomatic mission abroad.Each U.S. mission has an extensive security program,developed and overseen by a Regional Security Officer(RSO) who is the senior Diplomatic Security agent atthe mission. Each RSO is thoroughly familiar with thehost country—its politics, economy, culture, society, andhistory. The RSO establishes official contacts with the3

host government’s security services, police, and otherswho provide credible information and support.information is secure, and monitor surveillance devices,fire alarms, and communications systems.Under the direction of regional security officers, U.S.Marine Security Guards secure access to most U.S.embassies. They help ensure that classified material,government property, and personnel at U.S. diplomaticmissions remains safe and secure, especially in times ofcrisis. Marine Security Guards have protected embassiesduring riots, terrorist strikes, and other emergencies. Inthe event of an attack, Marine Security Guards delaythe aggressors long enough to help safeguard thelives of diplomatic personnel and to destroy classifiedinformation. In times of crisis, they often help evacuateAmericans living in the region.A force of 32,400 local guards protects theperimeters of U.S. overseas buildings. The guards,managed by a Regional Security Officer, patrol thegrounds and inspect vehicles, visitors, and packages.The guards also respond to alarms and requests forassistance. Specially trained local guards also protectmany U.S. ambassadors and other personnel asnecessary. Local guards are usually citizens of thehost nation.Marine Security Guards control access within U.S.missions, conduct inspections to ensure that classified4In the United States, nearly 1,000 uniformed securityofficers protect more than 100 Department of Statebuildings and locations. They patrol the facilities, screenvisitors and packages, and monitor communicationsand security systems through the state-of-the-art5

Security Control Center. From the Center, which operatesaround the clock, officers can detect intrusions, controlaccess, and dispatch other officers to emergencysituations. When an emergency occurs, they are oftenfirst on the scene, taking control of the situationand, when necessary, providing first aid or calling forassistance.A specially trained explosives-detection securitycanine team helps protect State Departmentdomestic employees. With security officers, the dogspatrol buildings and check vehicles. As part of theprotection that Diplomatic Security provides to foreigndignitaries, security officers with dogs frequently inspecthotels and other sites for explosives.DS Protects InformationAlthough many foreign intelligence groups regularlytry to spy on Department of State buildings worldwide,Diplomatic Security uses advanced technical securityprograms to thwart them. Security engineering officers(SEOs) design, install, and manage technical equipmentand computer systems that are sophisticated andeffective.Using high-tech instruments, SEOs can find hidden“bugging” devices and determine if anyone is usingelectronic equipment to conduct surveillance againstthe United States. Engineers also develop, install, andmaintain state-of-the-art systems to keep out intrudersand protect against physical attacks.Security Technical Specialists and U.S. Navy Seabees helpSEOs fortify U.S. missions. Seabees construct buildings,rooms, and locks that shield State Department employeesand sensitive information from espionage attempts.Security technical specialists work with the SEOs to installand maintain explosives detectors, metal detectors,closed-circuit television cameras, emergency alertsystems, electromagnetic door locks, vehicle barriers,and other special equipment.67

Classified documents also receive special protections.When the State Department sends classified documentsor government equipment to its overseas missions, thematerials could be vulnerable to those who might tryto access them, plant surveillance devices, or otherwisecompromise them. Diplomatic couriers travel with allclassified and sensitive materials sent to U.S. missionsand the U.S. government to ensure security, whether adiplomatic pouch containing papers and files, or heavyequipment and construction materials.Diplomatic couriers also protect sensitive materials byescorting them within the United States and acrossinternational borders. Every year, couriers ensure thesecure delivery of millions of pounds of materials,including classified pouches.The cybersecurity of the State Department’s classifiedand sensitive information is a top priority. DS computersecurity specialists continually monitor classifiedand unclassified information systems. They developstrict security measures to prevent cyber-attacks andhigh-technology crimes.Diplomatic Security conducts as many as 32,000background investigations each year on U.S.government employees who have access to classifiedand sensitive information, and on Department of Statejob applicants. DS trains employees to handle, store, anddestroy classified and sensitive information. If the StateDepartment suspects an information security violation,Diplomatic Security, along with other U.S. governmentagencies, conducts an investigation.It is Diplomatic Security’s job to protect United Statesdiplomats overseas, foreign dignitaries in the UnitedStates, State Department buildings worldwide, and theinformation essential to conducting U.S. diplomacy.For more information, visit DS atwww.diplomaticsecurity.state.govPhoto CreditsInside Cover: Craig Lovell / EagleVisions8All other photos: U.S. Department of State9

United States Department of StateBureau of Diplomatic SecurityPublic AffairsWashington, DC 20522-2008www.diplomaticsecurity.state.govPh: 571-345-2502Revised June 201410

the event of an attack, Marine Security Guards delay the aggressors long enough to help safeguard the lives of diplomatic personnel and to destroy classified information. In times of crisis, they often help evacuate Americans living in the region. Marine Security Guards control access within U.S.