U.S. Marshals Service celebrates 225 years

The U.S. Marshals Service celebrated a major milestone Wednesday with its 225th birthday.

“For 225 years, the Marshals Service has occupied a unique and valued position in our country’s judicial system,” said Attorney General Eric Holder. “This nation has relied upon U.S. Marshals and their deputies at pivotal moments in our history, and each time, the men and women of this great organization have risen to the challenge.”

The Marshals Service, founded in 1789, has taken the lead in many judiciary roles during the past few centuries.

Mr. Holder cited the agency’s help in establishing order in the “Wild West” and helping to desegregate American schools and enforce civil rights legislation.

With a workforce of 5,400 people, the Marshals Service has many duties today, including protecting courts, arresting fugitives, transporting prisoners and protecting people in witness protection.

“When President George Washington appointed the first 13 U.S. Marshals on Sept. 24, 1789, his pen marked the creation of an agency that has since played a role in virtually every facet of the nation’s federal judiciary during times of crisis and times of peace,” said U.S. Marshals Service Director Stacia Hylton. “The U.S. Marshals Service has been committed to answering the call of our great nation for justice.”