The James J. Rowley Training Center is the law enforcement training center operated by the United States Secret Service just outside Washington, D.C. in Laurel, Maryland. It is named for former director James Joseph Rowley. The site is adjacent to the Henry A. Wallace Beltsville Agricultural Research Center and the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. For Secret Servicespecial agents, the training focuses on specific Secret Service policies and procedures associated with the dual responsibilities of investigations and protection. Trainees are provided with basic knowledge and advanced application training in combating counterfeiting, access device fraud and other financial criminal activity, protective intelligence investigations, physical protection techniques, protective advances and emergency medicine. The core curriculum is augmented with extensive training in marksmanship, control tactics, water survival skills and physical fitness. For Secret Service officers, training focuses on coursework in police procedures, firearms, physical fitness, psychology, police-community relations, criminal law, first aid, laws of arrest, search and seizure, physical defense techniques, diplomatic immunity, international treaties and protocol. On-the-job training and advanced in-service training programs complement classroom studies. Secret Service agents and officers receive continuous advanced training throughout their careers. In part, this training consists of regular firearms requalification and emergency medicine refresher courses. Agents assigned to protective assignments also participate in unique crisis training simulations that present agents with a variety of "real world" emergency situations. Agents assigned to offices in the field have the opportunity to acquire advanced training in the area of criminal investigations and are also encouraged to attend training sessions sponsored by other law enforcement agencies. All Secret Service employees participate in a wide variety of management and individual development courses. Ethics, Diversity, Interpersonal Awareness, Practical Leadership and Introduction to Supervision are among the topics currently offered to all personnel at the Secret Service.
History
The JJRTC was developed in 1969 as part of the consolidated Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers. The National Capital Planning Commission approved the preliminary site and building plans for the primary administration structure of the JJRTC in 1972. In 1978, consolidated federal law enforcement functions were transferred to Glynco, Georgia, and the United States Secret Service obtained exclusive use of the Beltsville site.
