My paper discusses the Federal Air Marshal Program from Congress passing the first Judiciary Act of 1789 to the present problems with trying to recruit and properly train Air Marshals. Current events regarding the air marshal program will be discussed to include airport compliance for the installation of explosive-detection system baggage monitors by the end of the year. Other issues that go hand and hand with the Federal Air Marshal Program, to include cockpit door security and the arming of pilots will be discussed. Finally, there will also be discussions of Air Marshal recruiting and standards for hiring.
Marshals, Past and Present.
When we hear the word "Marshall" we tend to think of the Wild West when America's frontier was stretching to the Pacific and Law and Order was the fastest gun in town. I am reminded of the movie "Tombstone" while colorful tales of Wyatt Earp set the image of Western Marshals in my mind.
It comes as a surprise to many to find the United States Marshals and their deputies are alive and flourishing in the 20th century. They are modern professional law enforcement officers functioning as officers of the Federal Courts and agents of the Department of Justice. When Congress passed the first Judiciary Act of 1789, the U.S. Senate confirmed President George Washington's appointment of the original thirteen U.S. Marshals ("The Judiciary Act of 1789,"2002).
Today, Marshals and Deputies lead a life every bit as challenging, exciting, and dangerous as their early counterparts. They perform a wide range of Federal Law Enforcement duties designed to carry out their statutory requirements. Among the diverse responsibilities they perform are the serving of criminal and civil process and warrants of arrest; movement of federal prisoners; protection of witnesses to activities of organized crime; serving and disposing of property under court orders; security of federal court facilities, judges and jurors; and the prevention of civil disturbances or restoration of order in riot or mob violence situations.
