Federal Reserve Police
Encyclopedia
The U.S. Federal Reserve Police is the law enforcement arm of the Federal Reserve System
, the central banking system
of the United States
.
, codified at . Prior to designation as Federal Law Enforcement Officers, system protection personnel operated as security or special police officers
in their respective states and were almost exclusively regulated to exercising authority on Federal Reserve Property. Following the passage of updated legislation by Congress after 9/11 that designated Federal Law Enforcement Authority to system officers, authority now extends to wherever a Federal Reserve Law Enforcement Officer is performing official duties.
To be a Federal Reserve Law Enforcement Officer one must attend a district Federal Reserve Police Academy and be sworn in as a Federal Law Enforcement Officer. Federal Reserve Police Training Centers are nationally accredited by the Federal Law Enforcement Training Accreditation (FLETA) program. Additionally, all Federal Reserve Police Instructors are FLETC or POST certified. The Federal Reserve System runs four system-level FLETC-accredited training academies. The locations are San Francisco, CA, New York, NY, Atlanta, GA and Richmond, VA. In some districts, where officers are cross-designated as local–state law enforcement officers, additional training is provided to comply with the governing POST where the district or office is located. Some (but not all) districts offer a lateral entry program that allows for certification with minimal training for those with prior police training and experience.
Each Federal Reserve Police office in the 12 regional districts are independent law enforcement units though governed loosely out of Washington. Many of the law enforcement units have dual City or State Police authority, in addition to their Federal authority. This separate authority allows for the enforcement of state and/or city laws on or off property.
Some Federal Reserve law enforcement units have dignitary protection teams, which protect many of the 12 Federal Reserve Presidents. There are five Special Response Teams (SRT) that are based in San Francisco, Minneapolis, Atlanta, Richmond (Virginia) and New York City. Explosive Detection Canine and Hazmat teams are assigned to several Federal Reserve facilities throughout the nation.
The primary duty of a Federal Reserve Law Enforcement Officer is to provide force protection to Federal Reserve facilities. Officers also respond to police, fire and medical incidents in and near facilities. Each office operates a dispatch and emergency control center where response is coordinated with local authorities.
Officers are certified to carry semi-automatic pistols, assault rifle
s, submachine gun
s, shotguns, less-lethal weapons, pepper spray
, batons and other standard police equipment, including bullet resistance vests/body armor. Federal Reserve Police Officers have the same police authority as other uniformed Federal Law Enforcement Officers.
Because the Federal Reserve System is independent of the Federal Government, system law enforcement officers have a pension and benefit system separate from, but similar to federal employees. Each of the 12 districts has different pay scales based on the local cost of living index.
On October 12, 2010 President Barack Obama signed into law S.B. 1132 the "Law Enforcement Officers' Safety Act Improvements Act", which states that police officers and law enforcement officers of the Federal Reserve are "qualified law enforcement officers" and thus are authorized to carry a firearm off-duty. This update to the Law Enforcement Safety Act, among other aspects, clarified that Federal Law Enforcement Officers working for Amtrak and the Federal Reserve (not funded by Congress) are specifically granted the same rights as publicly funded law enforcement officers as it relates to off duty concealed carry.
Federal Reserve System
The Federal Reserve System is the central banking system of the United States. It was created on December 23, 1913 with the enactment of the Federal Reserve Act, largely in response to a series of financial panics, particularly a severe panic in 1907...
, the central banking system
Central bank
A central bank, reserve bank, or monetary authority is a public institution that usually issues the currency, regulates the money supply, and controls the interest rates in a country. Central banks often also oversee the commercial banking system of their respective countries...
of the United States
Economy of the United States
The economy of the United States is the world's largest national economy. Its nominal GDP was estimated to be nearly $14.5 trillion in 2010, approximately a quarter of nominal global GDP. The European Union has a larger collective economy, but is not a single nation...
.
History
The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System derives the authority to authorize "personnel as Federal Law Enforcement Officers to protect and safeguard the premises, grounds, property, personnel, including members of the Board, or any Federal Reserve Bank, and operations conducted by or on behalf of the Board or a reserve bank" from Section 11(q) of the Federal Reserve ActFederal Reserve Act
The Federal Reserve Act is an Act of Congress that created and set up the Federal Reserve System, the central banking system of the United States of America, and granted it the legal authority to issue Federal Reserve Notes and Federal Reserve Bank Notes as legal tender...
, codified at . Prior to designation as Federal Law Enforcement Officers, system protection personnel operated as security or special police officers
Security police
In some countries, including the United States, security police are those persons, employed by or for a governmental agency, who provide police and security services to those agencies' properties....
in their respective states and were almost exclusively regulated to exercising authority on Federal Reserve Property. Following the passage of updated legislation by Congress after 9/11 that designated Federal Law Enforcement Authority to system officers, authority now extends to wherever a Federal Reserve Law Enforcement Officer is performing official duties.
To be a Federal Reserve Law Enforcement Officer one must attend a district Federal Reserve Police Academy and be sworn in as a Federal Law Enforcement Officer. Federal Reserve Police Training Centers are nationally accredited by the Federal Law Enforcement Training Accreditation (FLETA) program. Additionally, all Federal Reserve Police Instructors are FLETC or POST certified. The Federal Reserve System runs four system-level FLETC-accredited training academies. The locations are San Francisco, CA, New York, NY, Atlanta, GA and Richmond, VA. In some districts, where officers are cross-designated as local–state law enforcement officers, additional training is provided to comply with the governing POST where the district or office is located. Some (but not all) districts offer a lateral entry program that allows for certification with minimal training for those with prior police training and experience.
Each Federal Reserve Police office in the 12 regional districts are independent law enforcement units though governed loosely out of Washington. Many of the law enforcement units have dual City or State Police authority, in addition to their Federal authority. This separate authority allows for the enforcement of state and/or city laws on or off property.
Some Federal Reserve law enforcement units have dignitary protection teams, which protect many of the 12 Federal Reserve Presidents. There are five Special Response Teams (SRT) that are based in San Francisco, Minneapolis, Atlanta, Richmond (Virginia) and New York City. Explosive Detection Canine and Hazmat teams are assigned to several Federal Reserve facilities throughout the nation.
The primary duty of a Federal Reserve Law Enforcement Officer is to provide force protection to Federal Reserve facilities. Officers also respond to police, fire and medical incidents in and near facilities. Each office operates a dispatch and emergency control center where response is coordinated with local authorities.
Officers are certified to carry semi-automatic pistols, assault rifle
Assault rifle
An assault rifle is a selective fire rifle that uses an intermediate cartridge and a detachable magazine. Assault rifles are the standard infantry weapons in most modern armies...
s, submachine gun
Submachine gun
A submachine gun is an automatic carbine, designed to fire pistol cartridges. It combines the automatic fire of a machine gun with the cartridge of a pistol. The submachine gun was invented during World War I , but the apex of its use was during World War II when millions of the weapon type were...
s, shotguns, less-lethal weapons, pepper spray
Pepper spray
Pepper spray, also known as OC spray , OC gas, and capsicum spray, is a lachrymatory agent that is used in riot control, crowd control and personal self-defense, including defense against dogs and bears...
, batons and other standard police equipment, including bullet resistance vests/body armor. Federal Reserve Police Officers have the same police authority as other uniformed Federal Law Enforcement Officers.
Because the Federal Reserve System is independent of the Federal Government, system law enforcement officers have a pension and benefit system separate from, but similar to federal employees. Each of the 12 districts has different pay scales based on the local cost of living index.
On October 12, 2010 President Barack Obama signed into law S.B. 1132 the "Law Enforcement Officers' Safety Act Improvements Act", which states that police officers and law enforcement officers of the Federal Reserve are "qualified law enforcement officers" and thus are authorized to carry a firearm off-duty. This update to the Law Enforcement Safety Act, among other aspects, clarified that Federal Law Enforcement Officers working for Amtrak and the Federal Reserve (not funded by Congress) are specifically granted the same rights as publicly funded law enforcement officers as it relates to off duty concealed carry.
Fallen officers
Since the establishment of the Federal Reserve Police, Two officers have died in the line of duty.| Officer | Branch | Date of Death | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Special Officer Charles T. Linton | FRB Kansas City | |
Gunfire |
| Captain Earl L. Compton | FRB Richmond | |
Gunfire |