Why We Exist
Public service in America is more dangerous today than it has been in recent history – not only for current and former officials, but also for their families and even their children. This is unacceptable.
Public service is patriotic. Yet, threats to current and former public servants have skyrocketed over the last decade. The American people deserve a government that delivers for all of us. This requires public servants to be able to serve without threats, harassment, or intimidation, while being held to the highest standards.
2X
The rate of increase of people federally charged for making violent threats against public officials of all backgrounds between 2016 and 2022.
90%
The percentage of state legislators who experienced threats or attacks, or other forms of abuse such as stalking, between 2021 and 2024.
50%+
The percentage of local officeholders who experienced threats or attacks, or other forms of abuse such as stalking, between 2021 and 2024.
9,400+
The number of threatening statements and direct threats to members of Congress, their families, and their staff investigated by the U.S. Capitol Police in 2024, more than double the number from 2017.
14,000
The number of threatening statements and direct threats to members of Congress that the U.S. Capitol Police is on track to investigate by the end of 2025.
Who’s At Risk?
Any public servant can become a target.
To raise awareness of the threat landscape facing America's public servants and amplify resources to help these individuals better protect themselves and their families, we partnered with The Impact Project to build The Security Map – one of the most comprehensive snapshots of threats against public servants to date.
Here’s what we found from our review of over 1,100 news reports:
- Whereas a decade ago, media reports largely focused on threats to federal officials, reporting now includes threats to public servants at every level of government, with judges, law enforcement, military personnel, and local government employees among the most frequent targets.
- One form of threat often precipitates another and threatening statements occur at nine times the rate of physical threats, creating dangerous chilling effects.
- Threats against public servants occur in every state across the country, with roughly a quarter concentrated in battleground states, where heightened political tension likely creates disproportionately high risk.
- While federal public servants remain the most frequent targets, local public servants account for one-third of the threats analyzed.
To learn more about our key findings and explore The Security Map, click here.
Why It Matters
People are deterred from serving their communities. Threats are discouraging Americans from running for office and serving in government, undermining our country’s ability to recruit and retain the best and the brightest public servants.
Most face it alone. Public servants often confront these dangers without adequate resources or support for themselves or their families.
As a result, our ability to build a government that delivers for all of us is unnecessarily jeopardized. Ultimately, every American shoulders the burden.
Our Solution
PSA is the first nonpartisan platform built to empower America’s nearly 40 million current and former public servants across political lines to better and more affordably protect themselves and their families. We accomplish this mission through our marketplace, public education, and reform to make public service safer.
If you’re a current or former public servant at any level of government, we have your back. Explore our marketplace for free today to save time and money on trusted services that help protect your and your families’ privacy, security, and personal and professional well-being.
If you feel you are in immediate danger or a life-threatening situation, please contact 911 or your local authorities.