The Secret Service equity director considers the DEI agenda a "mission imperative" and the "ultimate goal."

The Secret Service's director of equity considers it crucial to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within the agency, as evidenced by hosting seminars on respectful use of pronouns.

In February 2023, Loucious Hires III, the executive director of the Secret Services' Office of Equity, discussed diversity, equity and inclusion on the official government podcast "Standing Post." The agency aimed to be the "gold standard" of DEI in a recruitment brochure that same year.

The equity director emphasized the importance of DEI in every action taken at the Secret Service during the podcast, stating that the ideology strengthens the organization.

"The Secret Service has an opportunity to improve its DEI efforts by encouraging employees to reflect on their daily actions and consider how they contribute to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion."

To achieve our ultimate goal, we must continue to prioritize openness and transparency in discussing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. When every member of our agency can confidently say that these values are a mission imperative, we will have successfully accomplished our objective.

The IEC was formed by the Secret Service's "Game Changers" group.

The IEC is responsible for aiding the Secret Service in establishing a diverse and inclusive workforce, where all employees embody this principle through their daily actions.

The IEC aims to shift the culture beyond the mandated equal employment opportunities.

A cohesive organization values diversity and mutual respect among its members, which enhances cross-cultural awareness, according to the Secret Service.

The Secret Service's Office of Chief Counsel has been attending Pride events to recruit candidates and has observed an increase in transgender individuals in the service as a result, according to supervisory attorney-advisor Andrew "Drew" Cannady.

Cannady stated on the agency podcast in 2022 that the organization values diversity and has seen an increase in openly trans recruits, including those from law enforcement and the training center, which is positive.

The Secret Service has implemented programming to educate its employees on the proper use of pronouns, according to Cannady, who offers advice and counsel on personnel, human resources, security clearance, and other employment law matters at the agency.

"During Unity Day, the Secret Service celebrates various groups in its workforce. To educate the workforce, a seminar on the respectful use of pronouns was hosted. This was necessary because some of the topics discussed were new and unfamiliar to some people."

We plan to have a Secret Service booth at the Capitol Pride event in D.C. and also at events in Atlanta and New York. This will allow us to be physically present at these events and engage with the community. People who are interested in law enforcement or the Secret Service can speak with our members and learn more about our experiences. I am thrilled about this opportunity.

The Secret Service did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Secret Service has faced criticism for its inability to prevent former President Trump from being shot during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, last weekend. Several Republican lawmakers have called for Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to resign.

President Biden appointed her to lead the Secret Service in 2022, making her the second woman to ever hold the position. Prior to this role, Cheatle served as senior director of global security at PepsiCo, where she oversaw security protocols for the company's North American facilities.

While at the Secret Service, Cheatle has emphasized the need to prioritize diversity in the agency, which has led to criticism from some who believe that the agency should solely focus on hiring the best candidates.

Cheatle stated that the agency's strategic plan for 2023-27 emphasizes achieving excellence through talent, technology, and diversity.

She stated in a CBS interview that she is very aware of the need to attract diverse candidates, especially women, as the agency aims to increase the percentage of women in their workforce to 30%.

The agency's website states that Cheatle is in charge of carrying out the agency's integrated objective of "protection and investigations through the leadership of a diverse workforce."

Cheatle announced that she will not resign despite increasing demands for her to step down following the attack that resulted in the death of one rally attendee and the critical injury of two others.

This report was contributed to by Audrey Conklin, Stepheny Price, Bailee Hill, and Greg Wehner from Planet Chronicle.