More and Different Police

[MamaBear]

I work in lower Manhattan, and I've been seeing "DHS Police" SUV's driving around for a couple of years now. I'll assume that means Department of Homeland Security Police.

This morning, I saw one of these vehicles (different color, not stark white/blue) with "Federal Protection Service POLICE" painted on the side.

Has anybody ever heard of this agency? Anybody have any idea whom they serve and what they purportedly protect? :shrug:

[bryant69]

1. This might help.

"The US Federal Protective Service is charged with providing the vast federal communities controlled by GSA nationally with the necessary levels of protection to safeguard their tenant federal agencies, their people, including one million federal employees and over three million visitors daily, and the billions of dollars in U.S. assets housed there.

The GSA facilities within this broad jurisdiction are 'home' for elements of many familiar federal agencies having specialized roles within the federal criminal justice system, including: the U.S. Customs Service; the Internal Revenue Service; the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Agency, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; the U.S. District Courts; and many others, as well as numerous other federal agencies such as the U.S. Social Security Administration." -> http://members.aol.com/usfpsfl/usfps.html

I got that from google, which is a really useful website at times.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[MamaBear]

3. Thanks.

I find a bit offputting the number of vehicles in my city these days identified as "police" but not City or State police. Thanks for the info.

[Virginia Dare]

4. Similar situation here in D.C....n/t

[MadHound]

2. Wikipedia is your friend

"The Federal Protective Service (FPS) is a branch of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and is responsible for the security of over 8,800 Federal buildings, facilities, properties and other federal assets. The FPS is primarily a uniformed force of 2000 police officers which provides security police services to U.S. Federal buildings and other properties administered by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). It also protects other properties as authorized."<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Federal_Protective_Service>

Another branck of the US Gestapo Service. Nothing to see here, move along, move along:eyes:

[leveymg]

5. In DC you see Federal Protective Service, FBI Police, Pentagon Police,

US Secret Service Uniformed Division, U.S. Treasury Police, Immigration & Customs Enforcement, and all manner of unmarked cars with blacked out windows and red and blue lights on the dashboard. But, I've yet to spot a vehicle marked "DHS police", although you see DHS license plates all over the place around here.



The Federal Protective Service guards government buildings and contractors that don't have their own uniformed security.

[MamaBear]

6. I see.

It was in the general area of the federal courthouse, so I guess that's at least one good reason for them to be around. And the I figured the DHS Police were part of customs, which also has a law enforcement branch.

The police presence since 9/11 has been quite heavy downtown; this was the first time I'd seen this particular type of vehicle.

I guess I can take off the :tinfoilhat: for today. It's too warm for it, anyway.

[leveymg]

7. Keep it on. It might rain again.

All the rain this past week remainds me of "Blade Runner". Only, no flying cop cars, yet. Maybe by 2019. :think:

[MamaBear]

8. Okay.

Maybe I can get a robot kitty. Can't see my super putting up with an electronic sheep. ;)