Secret Service agent is man behind convention security curtain

The man in charge of security at the 2004 Democratic National Convention doesn't want his picture taken, so you wouldn't know him if he walked by you on the FleetCenter floor. But Hillary Clinton would.

Secret Service Special Agent Scott Sheafe, who has spent the past 13 months in Boston overseeing security preparations for the first post-9/11 convention, has had a lot of assignments during his 12 years with the service. He's worked on fraud and counterfeiting investigations. He was on security detail at the 1997 presidential inauguration and led the advance security work for several overseas visits by President George W. Bush. Sheafe also protected former first lady Hillary Clinton during her successful run for the U.S. Senate.

In the spring of 2003, the Secret Service put Sheafe -- whose age the service would not release -- in charge of security for the convention, and he relocated from Washington to Boston on June 15 last year.

Sheafe has spent much of his time coordinating and running meetings among representatives of 65 federal, state, and local agencies -- from the Boston police to the Federal Aviation Administration -- and numerous private firms, including cellphone companies and FleetCenter management. "I was blessed to come into a situation where there were good relations already established," Sheafe said in an interview with Convention Daily.

Over the past week, officials from state and local agencies involved in convention security have praised the Secret Service for doing a good job coordinating their efforts without stepping on their toes -- a goal that Sheafe said he strived for. "We do carry a tremendous burden because we're the lead agency, but everything we've done has been a partnership; everything we've done has been [through] discussion with the input of multiple agencies," he said. "There has not been one decision that has been made solely by the Secret Service."

The decisions that have been made, from the shutdown of the North Station subway stop to the building of a perimeter wall to the closing of Interstate 93 each night of the convention, have stirred controversy in Boston. But Sheafe said he and the other coordinating officials have done their best to balance security and freedom. "We realize there are going to be a lot of inconveniences," he said. "We do attempt to minimize the disruption."

Sheafe also said he sees the responsibility that has been placed on his shoulders as not just securing the convention but also showcasing Boston. "You're not only a Secret Service agent," he said. "You're an ambassador for the federal government. You're an ambassador for the United States."

Staff Correspondent Sydney Freedberg contributed to this report.