Supreme Court expands its own police force amid concerns over executive protection
The Court is replacing U.S. Marshals with an enlarged in-house police unit and has asked Congress for funding to double its staff.
For decades the U.S. Marshals Service, part of the Justice Department, provided security for Supreme Court justices, but the Court is now creating a substantially larger internal police force. The existing Supreme Court Police Department, which already patrolled the building, will absorb residential protection duties and expand from roughly 200 officers to more than double that number under a 2027 budget proposal. The request funds a new police command center, threat assessment capabilities, and continuous protection for all nine justices, with starting pay between $86,530 and $147,928 plus up to $60,000 in bonuses.
Critics argue the shift reflects distrust of an executive branch they see as politicized, especially under the current administration, while reform groups note the justices’ desire for independence from another branch’s whims. The move follows earlier incidents that highlighted gaps in marshal coverage and growing threats to judges nationwide.
Why it matters
The Court’s new security structure signals a lasting shift in how its independence is protected from political pressures.
In this story
