The northern border state of North Dakota is the nation’s third least populated, but is home to a US Secret Service field office located in Fargo.
In addition to the protective mission the Secret Service is best known for, agents also work in a law enforcement capacity working to disrupt federal crimes. Secret Service agents in Fargo are currently involved in combating a rash of counterfeit bills that have been passed in Fargo and West Fargo. In October of 2013 Fargo police arrested a man for passing counterfeit bills in Morehead; however, police described the bills as “sub-par” and secret service agents are investigating whether or not there is a connection with the Fargo cases.
Educational Requirements for Becoming a Secret Service Agent in North Dakota
A good education is the most important preparation for a career in the secret service. Agents are required to have a four-year degree or better from an accredited college or university. North Dakota has 21 institutions of higher education. The largest public university, located in Fargo, has a criminal justice program from which graduates have established successful careers in numerous federal law enforcement agencies, including the secret service. In addition to general education requirements, courses taken by students majoring in criminal justice include:
- Introduction to Criminal Justice
- Introduction to Policing
- Criminology/Criminal Law
- Constitutional Law
- Applied Research Methods
- Crime and Delinquency
- Deviant Behavior
- Criminalization
- Corrections
- Women and Minorities in Criminal Justice
- Judicial Process
- Psychology/Abnormal Psychology
- Behavior Modification
Other Requirements for a Secret Service Job in North Dakota
Details about open positions and online application forms can be found at the US Secret Service employment website. Call the Fargo field office at 701-239-5070 for information about job opportunities in North Dakota.
Applicants for secret service jobs in North Dakota must meet the following requirements:
- United States Citizen aged 21-37
- Excellent physical condition
- Experience in criminal investigations or law enforcement
- Pass urinalysis screening
- Qualify for a top security clearance
- Pass a Secret Service Suitability Test
Secret Service Agent Clint J. Hill and the JFK Assassination
Clint J. Hill is the secret service agent who became instantly famous when he was captured on film climbing over the back of the limousine in which President John F. Kennedy was shot on that fateful day in Dallas.
Hill was born in 1932 to a Norwegian mother living in Larimore, NK but adopted by the Haugen family from Fargo who later changed their Norwegian name to Hill, its English meaning. Clint graduated from college and joined the secret service in 1958. His good work earned him the prized job of protecting First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. On November 22, 1963 he was riding in the vehicle behind the president’s limo when shots rang out. Hill instantly leaped from his car and climbed over the back of the moving limo to protect its occupants. His actions were captured on the famous Zapruder film.
Hill remained mum about that day for decades. He finally broke his silence on the fiftieth anniversary of the Kennedy assassination in 2013. The only person from that limousine who is still alive told of years of sorrow, guilt and heavy drinking. He always wondered if he might have done something to save the president. Hill has written two books about the secret service and serving as the first lady’s protector.