They protect in Secret

Ensuring the safety of everyday citizens is one thing, but protecting high-profile figures such as presidents is a whole different ball game. Michael Matranga, a member of the Secret Service, shared his insights on the matter. Hailing from the small town of Texas City in Texas,

he expressed, “My ambition was always to work as a United States Secret Service agent. I submitted my application to the Houston field office, carrying on the tradition of government service within my family, which spans across various sectors including the military and law enforcement.”

“I pursued my higher education at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, a renowned institution recognized for its exceptional criminal justice program,” he revealed. Despite being 47 years old, Matranga shared his unexpected decision to further his studies by pursuing a master’s degree. Looking ahead, he shared his aspirations of potentially running for a more prominent position in politics such as the US Senate or Congress.

Oh, so you’re gonna be a thief. Is that it?

“Admittedly the current political landscape is a little less than desirable,” he said. “I went to work as an adult probation officer, supervising 1,200 felons. Protecting America’s president I thought was a noble cause. You learn even jackets can be worn open so you can utilize tools — handcuffs, baton, flashlight, weapon.”

There may have been a few issues with Secret Service recently.

“Understand, screwing up is just human nature. Important thing is to identify those mistakes and correct them,” Matranga said. “Everyone at some point makes a mistake on the job. Secret Service operates at an extraordinarily fast pace. Covering more protectees than they were designed to cover. Areas that should have been covered were not.

“In the past, the service never covered more than 36 protectees. Now, they designate protection for cabinet members and extended families that were never designed for us to do. It spread the service very thin. Not enough resources to disseminate those resources.”

So how does he prepare?

“On a presidential job you have to check their travel schedule, what the current political landscape looks like,” he said. “We had the Gulf War, the initial push into Iraq and Afghanistan. Different tactics, techniques and procedures. It’s new. Those things are fresh. When you’re invading a country, additional precautions need be taken.

“The Bush years had the global war on terrorism, drone warfare we didn’t have in those days. We always need to be leveraging new tools. It depends on where they’re traveling. Plus, understand, I’ve worked with some of the greatest most competent women I’ve ever seen.”

And training? How’s that work?

“Each agent is required to become a criminal investigator through the 13-week course at the James J. Rowley Training Center in Maryland where you learn tactics, how to defend yourself, shoot multiple weapons, how to deploy from your vehicle, how to work different formations on the president based upon where they’re moving, whether it’s indoors or outdoors,” he said.

“In Iraq, we would be looking at what terrorist groups can cause harm to the president, how they operate, where they operate, what type weapons they use. What type dress we have to fit in with.”

So tell me about the cocaine found in the White House.

Matranga laughed, saying, “Well, I wasn’t there at the White House. Most wanna believe that that was Hunter’s. Very well could have been. I believe that the United States Secret Service knows exactly whose it is, but, um, they’re not willing to say.”

And neither is he.