SECRETARY'S MEMORANDUM 4600-003

TRANSFER OF PERSONAL SECURITY PROTECTION FUNCTIONS

1 BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The Secretary and the Deputy Secretary are included in a protected class of government officials under 18 U.S.C. 351, which criminalizes violent acts committed against a head of a department or the second ranking official in such department. To ensure the safety

of the Secretary and the Deputy Secretary, the Inspector General was delegated authority to provide for the personal security for these officials.

I have determined that the function of providing for the personal security for the Secretary and the Deputy Secretary should be transferred from the Inspector General to the Director, Homeland Security Staff (Director). Offering personal security protection to the Secretary and the Deputy Secretary is consistent with the mission of the Homeland Security Staff to provide leadership and coordination for the Department's homeland security efforts.

Although the Director will be the Department official who is primarily responsible for providing personal security protection to the Secretary and the Deputy Secretary, the Inspector General will still have a role concerning this personal security function. At the request of the Director, the Inspector General will assist the Director in providing for the personal security for the Secretary and the Deputy Secretary.

With respect to the National Forest System (NFS), the Director may request the assistance of Forest Service law enforcement personnel to provide for the personal security for the Secretary and the Deputy Secretary.

2 ACTIONS ORDERED

a The Director shall provide for the personal security for the Secretary and the Deputy Secretary;

b At the request of the Director, the Inspector General shall determine the availability of law enforcement personnel of the Office of Inspector General to assist the Director in providing for the personal security for the Secretary and the Deputy Secretary; and,

c At the request of the Director, the Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment, or his designee, shall designate law enforcement personnel of the Forest Service to assist the Director in providing for the personal security for the Secretary and the Deputy Secretary in the NFS.

3 INCIDENTAL TRANSFER

The Assistant Secretary for Administration and the Director, Office of Budget and Program Analysis, are authorized to approve such transfers of funds, employment authority, space, records, property, and incidentals as may be necessary to implement the provisions of this Memorandum.

4 EXISTING DIRECTIVES

Prior delegations of authority, administrative regulations, and other directives not in conflict with the provisions of this Memorandum remain in full force and effect.

5 SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS

This Memorandum shall remain in effect for 1 year, or shall terminate at such earlier time as the Department's published delegations of authority have been revised to incorporate the provisions of this Memorandum.

/s/MIKE JOHANNS

Secretary of Agriculture