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U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton (center) and South Sudan Foreign Minister Nhial Deng Nhial (far left) walk to a vehicle escorted by members of her Diplomatic Security protective detail (third from left in striped tie, and right in sunglasses) upon her arrival for her first visit to South Sudan August 3, 2012, at Juba International Airport in Juba. (AP/ Wide World Photos)

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The Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DS) is the security and law enforcement arm of the U.S. Department of State. DS is a world leader in international investigations, threat analysis, cyber security, counterterrorism, security technology, and protection of people, property, and information.

Led by Eric J. Boswell, the Bureau of Diplomatic Security is responsible for providing a safe and secure environment for the conduct of U.S. foreign policy. Every diplomatic mission in the world operates under a security program designed and maintained by Diplomatic Security. In the United States, Diplomatic Security personnel protect the Secretary of State and high-ranking foreign dignitaries and officials visiting the United States, investigates passport and visa fraud, and conducts personnel security investigations. Operating from a global platform in 25 U.S. cities and 159 foreign countries, DS ensures that America can conduct diplomacy safely and securely. DS plays a vital role in protecting U.S. embassies and personnel overseas, securing critical information systems, investigating passport and visa fraud, and fighting the war on terror.

Now available

History of the Bureau of Diplomatic Security Explore the origins and read about the people and key moments of the Bureau of Diplomatic Security as presented in this official, comprehensive history.

Diplomatic Security 2011 Annual Report	DS History Photos	Violence Against Americans
Learn more about the Bureau of Diplomatic Security in the 2011 DS Year In Review,	View the "Diplomatic Security Pictorial History," a collection of photos depicting key moments and people in DS's history.	Read the 2011 edition of Diplomatic Security's Political Violence Against Americans.