New Secret Service Lapel Pins Will Come With a Secret Security Feature

Just about everyone knows Secret Service agents for the pins they wear on their lapels. They are one component of the larger system used to identify team members and are as tied to the agency’s image as dark suits, earpieces, and mirrored sunglasses. Yet, few people know what those very recognizable lapel pins are hiding. An acquisitions notice filed by the Secret Service on Nov. 26 says the agency is planning to award a contract for “specialized lapel emblem identification pins” to a Massachusetts company called V.H. Blackinton & Co., Inc.