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Secret Service Job Fair Attracts the Serious, Curious

TIMES STAFF WRITER

A financial analyst, a police officer, a political science major and a teenager who is a movie aficionado were among those who turned out for a Secret Service job fair Saturday morning in downtown Los Angeles.

“We attract a lot of characters because this is a high-profile job and because of who we protect,” said Special Agent Brian Hunter, who works in the agency’s Los Angeles office.

By 1 p.m., more than 50 people had visited the job fair, which ran until 5 p.m. Potential candidates learned about jobs as special agents, uniformed officers or in the technical division.

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Often, the mystique of the job allures applicants--some of whom are serious, and others who are simply intrigued, said Special Agent Faron Paramore.

It may be the idea of guarding President Bush as he leads the war against terrorism or meets with high-profile people such as Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in the White House. Or it may be the thought of wearing those really cool shades.

For whatever reason, the job fair attracted Jason DiPaolo, 27, a political science major with a military background and a shaved head, and Wendy Keller, 31, a financial analyst with a degree in music. It also attracted 14-year-old Daniel Brown, a ninth-grader who loves the movie “Air Force One.”

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Daniel learned about the job fair while browsing the Internet recently. His father, mother and younger sister all came along from Victorville, more than two hours away.

“It’s nice that at 14 he stays focused,” his mother, Evelyn, said of Daniel, who wants to work in law enforcement or produce movies.

So what does it take to be allowed to stand next to the president or the pope with a loaded gun?

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Consideration is given to those who are U.S. citizens who are 21 to 36 years old and have good eyesight. Applicants must complete a polygraph test, medical examination, drug screening and background check. They also must go through a series of interviews, tests and training.

Secret Service agents usually need a four-year college degree. And it takes at least four years on the job before an agent is allowed to guard the president. Before that, agents gain experience by protecting former presidents and other dignitaries.

“I used to be a cameraman,” said Special Agent Marcus Snipe, who has been with the Secret Service for 12 years. “I knew nothing about law enforcement before I came to the Secret Service.”

Snipe was recruited in the 1980s while working for a television station in Atlanta. He was following former Democratic presidential candidate Bruce Babbitt when Secret Service agents convinced him to apply.

It’s an exciting life, said Snipe, who was guarding the president in Florida on Sept. 11, when terrorists attacked the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

“You literally witness history happening every day,” he said.

But he agreed that there is a mystique surrounding the job. For example, he said, people always wonder, “What are they listening to in their earpiece?”

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