Staff Shortages in US Secret Service Counter Sniper Team

A recent report from Watchdog highlights significant staffing shortages within the US Secret Service’s counter sniper team. The agency is reportedly struggling to meet its operational needs due to a lack of personnel.

The report, released by Inspector Joseph Kufari, details the current issues and deficiencies facing the agency. Notably, it states, “The US Secret Service Counter Sniper Team (CS) is 73% below the level required to meet mission requirements.” This substantial shortfall raises concerns about the Secret Service’s capacity to safeguard the nation’s senior leaders, potentially increasing the risk of injuries or even assassination attempts.

In light of these chronic staffing issues, the report notes that the Counter Sniper team has depended heavily on overtime and staff from other Department of Homeland Security sectors to fulfill their mission requirements.

From 2021 to 2024, the Secret Service logged around 5 million hours of overtime to keep the counter sniper team operational. This reliance intensified during significant events like the 2024 election and Trump’s inauguration in January, leading to personnel borrowing from other agencies. Alarmingly, it seems that at times, they even had to utilize archers who hadn’t met the standard benchmarks needed for protection duties.

Furthermore, the report expresses concern over qualifications, stating, “Some counter snipers did not meet the requirements for recertifying mandatory weapons.” This indicates that even among those on the team, there were individuals who missed essential training sessions to ensure their shooting accuracy, whether during the day or night. Nevertheless, they nonetheless supported 47 out of the 426 events attended by VIPs in 2024.