Report of the President's Commission on the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy

Secret Service Research Activity Overhaul Efforts

The Secret Service has embarked on a complete overhaul of its research activities. The Protective Research Section (PRS) staff has been augmented, a Secret Service inspector placed in charge, and outside consultants engaged—including the Rand Corporation, IBM, and a panel of psychiatric and psychological experts—along with assistance from the President’s Office of Science and Technology, ARPA, the CIA, and Walter Reed Hospital. The planning document submitted by the Secretary of the Treasury to the Bureau of the Budget on August 31, 1964 makes several significant recommendations in this field.

Broader and More Selective Threat Identification Criteria

Tentative new criteria issued by the Secret Service are useful in clarifying that its interest goes beyond information on individuals or groups threatening to harm or embarrass the President, extending to those demonstrating interest coupled with expressed or implied determination to use unlawful means to satisfy grievances. However, these criteria appear unduly restrictive in continuing to require manifestation of animus against a government official, and it is questionable whether they would have resulted in referral of Oswald. Chief Rowley believed they would, citing Oswald’s demonstrated hostility toward the Secretary of the Navy, though even with hindsight that letter does not appear to express determination to use unlawful means. The Commission recognizes that no meaningful set of criteria will yield the names of all potential assassins, noting that Guiteau, Czolgosz, Schrank, and Zangara—all acting alone—were men without serious prior violence records, failures in work and relations, victims of delusions that society had thwarted them.

Liaison With Other Agencies for Intelligence Gathering

The Secret Service’s liaison with agencies supplying information has been too casual. Since the assassination, the Service has recognized that these relationships must be far more formal, with each agency given clear understanding of the assistance the Secret Service expects. This is especially necessary with the FBI and CIA, which carry major responsibility for supplying information about potential threats from organized groups within their special jurisdiction. Since these agencies already evaluate such group activities, they should be responsible for advising the Secret Service of developments indicating assassination plots or events suggesting group danger to the President.

Formal Agreements With Law Enforcement and Intelligence Agencies

Once the Secret Service formulates new standards for information collection, it should enter into written agreements with each federal agency and leading state and local agencies that might be information sources. These agreements should describe in detail the information sought, the manner of provision, and respective responsibilities for any further investigation. Detailed formal agreements should be worked out with the FBI and CIA. The Secret Service should not seek to duplicate intelligence capabilities of other agencies but should use their data for its special duties. After gaining experience with federal and leading state and local agencies, the Secret Service should negotiate similar arrangements with other local law enforcement agencies through its field offices. These agreements will be of little value without a system for frequent formal review of activities thereunder.

CAPÍTULO II. With the assistance of Agent in Charge Sorrels of the

This chapter outlines Secret Service protective operation improvements recommended by the President’s Commission following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, covering liaison enhancements, data processing upgrades, advance protective planning adjustments, coordination with local and federal agencies, personnel and resource requirements, and supporting official documentation.

Improving Liaison Arrangements

The Commission approves recent and proposed Secret Service measures to improve liaison arrangements. An interagency committee including representatives from the White House Office of Science and Technology, Department of Defense, CIA, FBI, and Secret Service has been established to develop more effective liaison criteria, and the Department of the Treasury has requested five additional Protective Research Section (PRS) agents to serve as liaison officers with law enforcement and intelligence agencies, a step the Commission endorses as the only effective way to ensure adequate ongoing liaison. As an initial step to improve local law enforcement liaison, the Secret Service directed field representatives on August 26, 1964, to send standardized intelligence information request forms to all local, county, and state law enforcement agencies in their districts. The Commission recommends these and other proposed liaison measures be pursued vigorously.