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Fun Facts About the U.S. Marshals
Did You Know?
- The U.S. Marshals Service has jurisdiction over the American section of Antarctica.
In 1989, the National Science Foundation approached the U.S. Marshals Service to help establish a legal presence in Antarctica. Up to that point, no one held jurisdiction and there was no method to prosecute law breakers. The NSF sent two station managers from Antarctica to Glynco for training, and the Service appointed them as Special Deputies. The official swearing-in took place in Hawaii, the headquarters district for the American stations at the South Pole. The two special deputies rotate duty every other year.
Special Deputy U.S. Marshals greet all visitors to McMurdo Station, Antarctica, with a lecture and warnings that serious crimes committed on the continent by Americans can be prosecuted in the United States.
- The U.S. Marshals Service is the oldest federal law enforcement agency.
The U.S. Marshals Service was established on September 24, 1789, when George Washington signed the Judiciary Act. This act was part of Senate Bill 1- the first bill passed by Congress.
- The U.S. Marshal Service runs the Witness Security Program (WITSEC).
The Witness Security Program was authorized by the Organized Crime Control Act of 1970 and amended by the Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984. Since its inception, more than 7,500 witnesses and 9,500 family members have entered the Program and have been protected, relocated and given new identities by the Marshals Service.
The successful operation of this program is widely recognized as providing a unique and valuable tool in the government's war against major criminal conspirators and organized crime. Since the program's inception, it has obtained an overall conviction rate of 89% as a result of protected witnesses' testimonies.
Witnesses and their families typically get new identities with authentic documentation. Housing, medical care, job training and employment can also be provided. Subsistence funding to cover basic living expenses is also provided to the witnesses until they become self-sufficient in the relocation area.
The Marshals Service provides 24-hour protection to all witnesses while they are in a high threat environment, including pre-trial conferences, trial testimonials and other court appearances.
No program participant who follows security guidelines has ever been harmed while under the active protection of the Marshals Service.
- Frederick Douglass was the first African American U.S. Marshal.
Frederick Douglass was appointed the U.S. Marshal for the District of Columbia by President Hayes. He served from 1877-1881.
- The U.S. Marshals Service is responsible for transporting federal prisoners both domestically and internationally.
The USMS averages more than 300,000 prisoner moves each year. This includes moving prisoners to and from courtrooms, deporting undocumented aliens, and extraditing wanted fugitives to other nations.
- The U.S. Marshals Service was responsible for enforcing the Fugitive Slave Law.
As the enforcers of federal law, U.S. Marshals and their deputies returned run-away slaves to their owners prior to the Civil War. In northern states, this duty put the men at odds with members of their community and often, forced them to do their duty despite their personal beliefs.
- Wyatt Earp was only a deputy marshal for about 6 months.
His brother, Virgil was a U.S. Marshal. Wyatt Earp received an appointment as deputy U.S. Marshal after the death of his brother Morgan. Although Wyatt was deputized for the Tombstone fight alongside Doc Holliday and Morgan, their temporary status ended after the fight. Associates of their foes shot Morgan Earp in a pool hall while Virgil was incapacitated. In his brief time as deputy U.S. Marshal, Wyatt shot several suspects who were involved in his brother’s death. However, he also shot a few unrelated suspects, behavior that led to his dismissal as deputy almost six months later.
- The U.S. Marshals Service played a key role in school integrations in the South.
After the 1957 Central High Crisis in Little Rock, President Eisenhower decided that civilian law enforcement officers should enforce civilian law. He turned to the U.S. Marshals. In 1960, eight Deputy Marshals protected and escorted four African American first graders as they integrated the New Orleans school district. Leona Tate, Gail Etienne, and Tessie Prevost went to McDonogh 19 Elementary and Ruby Bridges attended William Frantz Elementary.
Two years later, more than 300 Deputy Marshals and Special Deputy Marshals protected James Meredith when he enrolled at the University of Mississippi at Oxford. A riot erupted that evening and the Army was dispatched to break up the crowd.
- The U.S. Marshals Service took the census until 1880.
U.S. Marshals hired individuals to conduct the census through 1870. The Census Act of 1880 placed the responsibility in the “hands of agents, supervisors, and enumerators” who were forbidden to disclose the information they collected. (U.S. Census Bureau)
