Agency rebuilds image
The United States Secret Service has been trying to rebuild its image after a scandal in April 2012 when agency employees in Cartagena took prostitutes to their hotel rooms ahead of a visit by President Barack Obama to Colombia.
It led to an investigation that concluded the president's safety had not been compromised, but the scandal was a huge embarrassment for the agency. A dozen Secret Service employees were accused of misconduct, and six agents were dismissed or reassigned after the incident.
Agency head Mark Sullivan apologized to Congress last year for the episode, which he said reflected poor decisions by agents, and was not representative of the agency's culture. A new code of conduct was implemented banning alcohol use within 10 hours of duty and banning visits to "non-reputable" establishments.
Reuters-Xinhua
(China Daily 03/28/2013 page12)