Background

Since 1994, after the passage of the Omnibus Crime Bill (Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act), the Secret Service was mandated to provide forensic and technical support to assist all United States law enforcement agencies, and NCMEC, with the investigation of missing and exploited children cases.

Subsequently, our Forensic Services Division (FSD) began providing support to these case types to include polygraph examinations, age progression/regression, composite sketches, audio/image/video enhancement, speaker identification/recognition, questioned document analysis, fingerprint development and examination, geospatial information mapping system, and digital forensics. On April 30, 2003, President George W. Bush signed the PROTECT Act of 2003, which expanded the authority of the Secret Service to also provide investigative assistance.

The Childhood Smart Program

FSD established the Childhood Smart Program (CSP) as an initiative to educate parents, guardians, and children regarding Internet safety and abduction prevention. 

The CSP is a partnership with NCMEC in which the Secret Service delivers educational resources that focus on age-appropriate real world and Internet safety presentations to children in classrooms, camps, community events, etc. Topics include online enticement, child sextortion, cyber bullying, child sex trafficking, and child abduction. Additional presentations include prevention strategies for school administrators and sextortion resources for law enforcement.

Operation Safe Kids

FSD established the Operation Safe Kids (OSK) initiative as a means of bringing safety awareness to the public. OSK provides parents and guardians with a digital or hardcopy containing biographical data, a current photograph, and digitized inkless fingerprints. In the event a child who participates in this initiative is ever reported as missing, lost, or abducted, his/her fingerprints can be retrieved from the parents or guardians. 

FSD does not keep any record of the children's fingerprints/photographs. The flash drive or fingerprint card is given to the parent or guardian for safe keeping.

Presentation Request

For more information about the Secret Service Outreach Programs, download our brochure here. To request a CSP presentation or OSK event, please contact fsdncmec@usss.dhs.gov.