# A silly question about US Presidential security **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 15, 2005, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-silly-question-about-us-presidential-security/321738 "2005-09-15T05:17:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![II\_Gyan\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@II\_Gyan\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/II_Gyan_II)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-silly-question-about-us-presidential-security/321738/1 "2005-09-15T05:17:48Z")
I was reading about the photo recording W’s ‘bathroom break’ note whereupon someone mentioned the security detail, and this question just popped up in my head: If the POTUS wishes to commit suicide, is the Secret Service obligated to interfere? ---
**Author:** ![Matteo\_Ricci](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Matteo\_Ricci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Matteo_Ricci)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-silly-question-about-us-presidential-security/321738/2 "2005-09-15T05:20:22Z")
I think _anyone_ would be obligated to interfere, whether the suicidal person is the President or Joe Shmoe. Wouldn’t allowing someone to off themselves be something like depraved indifference? ---
**Author:** ![II\_Gyan\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@II\_Gyan\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/II_Gyan_II)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-silly-question-about-us-presidential-security/321738/3 "2005-09-15T05:39:25Z")
I don’t mean in the general empathetic sense. But as a formal obligation. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-silly-question-about-us-presidential-security/321738/4 "2005-09-15T05:58:41Z")
Yes. The Secret Service’s duty is to the office of the Presidency, not the person of the President. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-silly-question-about-us-presidential-security/321738/5 "2005-09-15T14:49:01Z")
I remember that when Nixon was depressed, drinking too much, talking to portraits on the White House walls and acting rather erratically in the last days of Watergate, the Secret Service was rather concerned. Yes, I think any USSS agent would intervene if she was present when the President attempted to take his own life. ---
**Author:** ![TJVM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b38774/32.png) [@TJVM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJVM)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-silly-question-about-us-presidential-security/321738/6 "2005-09-15T15:11:23Z")
If nothing else, suicide is a crime, and Secret Service agents are law-enforcement officers. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-silly-question-about-us-presidential-security/321738/7 "2005-09-15T15:29:42Z")
> [@William V.](#): > > I remember that when Nixon was depressed, drinking too much, talking to portraits on the White House walls and acting rather erratically in the last days of Watergate, the Secret Service was rather concerned. Yes, I think any USSS agent would intervene if she was present when the President attempted to take his own life. You _mean_ you remember reading about when Nixon was depressed, drinking too much, talking to portraits on the White House walls and acting rather erratically in the last days of Watergate, the Secret Service was rather concerned. Unless…Henry? Henry Kissinger? Is that _you_? :eek: 😉😃 ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-silly-question-about-us-presidential-security/321738/8 "2005-09-15T16:00:08Z")
Their job is to protect the POTUS, even from himself. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-silly-question-about-us-presidential-security/321738/9 "2005-09-15T16:19:17Z")
> [@TJVM](#): > > If nothing else, suicide is a crime. Cite? ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-silly-question-about-us-presidential-security/321738/10 "2005-09-15T16:25:59Z")
“bathroom break” note? I missed something ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-silly-question-about-us-presidential-security/321738/11 "2005-09-15T16:35:25Z")
> [@Matteo Ricci](#): > > I think _anyone_ would be obligated to interfere, whether the suicidal person is the President or Joe Shmoe. Wouldn’t allowing someone to off themselves be something like depraved indifference? :dubious: Under the common law, there is no _legal_ obligation to help a stranger under any circumstances. I’ve never heard the term “depraved indifference” used, but it sounds something like negligence (otherwise known as breach of a duty of care). The first key to negligence is showing that the alleged tortfeasor owed the alleged victim some kind of duty of care. Secret Service agents have a duty to protect the president owing to their job and training. Most of the rest of us don’t have such a duty. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-silly-question-about-us-presidential-security/321738/12 "2005-09-15T16:48:00Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > :dubious: > > Under the common law, there is no _legal_ obligation to help a stranger under any circumstances. I meant to say: “under _ordinary_ circumstances.” ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-silly-question-about-us-presidential-security/321738/13 "2005-09-15T16:55:21Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > :dubious: > > Under the common law, there is no _legal_ obligation to help a stranger under any circumstances. > > **I’ve never heard the term “depraved indifference” used, but it sounds something like negligence** (otherwise known as breach of a duty of care). The first key to negligence is showing that the alleged tortfeasor owed the alleged victim some kind of duty of care. Secret Service agents have a duty to protect the president owing to their job and training. Most of the rest of us don’t have such a duty. No. Depraved indifference is short for “depraved indifference to human life,” and describes recklessness of a particularly heinous sort – an overt act, not mere inaction. ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-silly-question-about-us-presidential-security/321738/14 "2005-09-15T17:22:02Z")
> [@CynicalGabe](#): > > “bathroom break” note? I missed something [Here](http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/050914/ids_photos_ts/r2587077477.jpg#gooderhead) ya go. Is this real? ---
**Author:** ![deevee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@deevee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deevee)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-silly-question-about-us-presidential-security/321738/15 "2005-09-15T21:31:29Z")
When I first saw that I thought it was obviously shopped. Then again the pointless use of a question mark could be a sign it’s real.