Retired Secret Service agent’s career is presidential

BY MARIA ALLARD allard@candgnews.com

CLINTON TOWNSHIP — When protecting the president of the United States, anything can happen.

“You always have to expect the unexpected wherever you are at,” said Radford Jones, a retired special agent of the Michigan Division, U.S. Secret Service.

During his career as a Secret Service agent, Jones provided security for six presidents: John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. Secret Service protection continues long after presidents leave office.

On March 29, the Lake Orion resident spoke to about 35 people who attended the Macomb Community College’s Macomb Organization for Retiree Enrichment program at the Lorenzo Cultural Center on the college’s Center Campus. MORE is a lifelong learning initiative that is offering courses through May 18.

Through a slideshow presentation, personal stories and photo collection, Jones recalled several events during his tenure, including the time the Secret Service figured out how to get Reagan’s 20-car motorcade to a small backyard barbecue in Hamtramck. Jones also recalled an incident that occurred on Easter Sunday in 1966 during Johnson’s administration.

“Myself and another agent were on duty,” said Jones, who grew up in Hillsdale. “It’s about 9 a.m. and the White House operator calls us and she says we just got word from the press that an individual says he’s going to burn himself in front of the White House (to protest) against the war in Vietnam.”

Johnson was not at the White House at the time. Jones, who learned of the man’s name, quickly went to the northwest gate to “see what’s going on.” The agent then ventured down the White House sidewalk, passing about 50 people dressed for Easter Sunday, including a woman holding a little

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