The fact that someone in the Colorado legislature wanted Secret Service Agents to have this privilege is startling. Why not the FBI or other federal agents? It also specifically gives non special agents such as technicians law enforcement authority. Just who is expecting to use a SS agent in such a capacity? SS agents are limited in number, so why this push? Colorado has the right to define who is a law enforcement agent but they just defines SS agents and technicians as those people. Why?
That, as they say, is the $64 question.
There are 100+ federal police agencies and organizations, and now non-police agencies have been authorized to buy police SWAT equipment and set up their own tactical teams.
(Most notoriously, when the Department of Education sent in its SWAT team, to the wrong house, over suspected student loan fraud.)
In addition to guarding the president and candidates, the SS also pursues counterfeiting, but also:
“any of the laws of the United States relating to electronic fund transfer frauds, access device frauds, false identification documents or devices, and any fraud or other criminal or unlawful activity in or against any federally insured financial institution; except that the authority conferred by this paragraph shall be exercised subject to the agreement of the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security and shall not affect the authority of any other Federal law enforcement agency with respect to those laws.”
Which is quite a mouthful.