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2021 Inauguration

Protecting America's senior leaders is a zero fail mission for members of the U.S. Secret Service.

 

National Special Security Event

When an event is designated a National Special Security Event (NSSE), we assume our mandated role as the lead agency for the design and implementation of the operational security plan.

2021 Inauguration

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The Department of Homeland Security designated the 2021 Presidential Inauguration as a recurring National Special Security Event (NSSE). When an event is designated a NSSE, the U.S. Secret Service assumes its mandated role as the lead agency for the design and implementation of the operational security plan. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is responsible for incident management and its component, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), is responsible for response and recovery operations. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the lead for incident investigation.

Inauguration parade

During the formation of the U. S. Service’s overall security plan, each participating agency is tasked based on their jurisdiction and particular area of expertise. This is done through the formation of subcommittees whose collective responsibility is to plan for every possible security matter. Examples of these subcommittees are: Airspace Security, Credentialing, Crisis Management, Consequence Management, Interagency Communication, Fire/Life Safety – HAZMAT, and Crowd Management. Each subcommittee is chaired or co-chaired by a Secret Service agent and staffed by the appropriate federal, military, or city law enforcement/public safety agency.

Uniformed Division officersAgent at LincolnAgent by the Washington MonumentUniformed Division officer by LincolnAgent during parade

The U.S. Secret Service carries out its responsibilities by relying on a core strategy of forming partnerships with all participating law enforcement, security, and public safety officials. Numerous partners involved in the planning and implementation of the overall security plan contributed to a successful and safe 2021 Presidential Inauguration.

 

  • Protecting Leaders

    Protecting leaders

    Since our protective mission began in 1901, our jurisdiction has expanded to meet the needs of an evolving security environment. Learn who we
    protect.

  • Safeguarding Places

    Safeguarding places

    We protect key locations where the nation's highest elected leaders live and work, as well as the foreign diplomatic missions located around Washington, D.C.

  • Securing Events

    Securing events

    We secure events of national security importance, such as the State of the Union address each year, or the presidential inauguration for each new presidential term.