Special Service Unit

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Special Service Unit

Agency overview
Formed	1964
Type	Law Enforcement
Jurisdiction	State of California
Employees	<50
Agency executive	Chief Derrick Marion[1]
Parent department	California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
Website	https://www.cdcr.ca.gov

The Special Service Unit (SSU) is a component of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). It functions as the special operations division of CDCR. The unit is staffed by special agents assigned to field offices throughout the state. Although the special agents work for CDCR, they are neither correctional officers nor parole agents. SSU special agents are full-time peace officers per California Penal Code Section 830.2. This makes agents more akin to state police officers than to correctional officers.

SSU agents conduct criminal investigations with a nexus to current and discharged CDCR inmates and state parolees on the street. They monitor prison gangs, gather criminal intelligence, and conduct narcotics enforcement. Special agents work closely with other law enforcement agencies, such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the California Department of Justice, county sheriff's departments, and local police. They often assist prison correctional investigators with investigations connected to individuals in the community. These investigations usually involve people introducing drugs or contraband into the prisons. SSU special agents hold the equivalency rank of a CDCR captain. SSU agents attempt to keep a low profile and small footprint while conducting their missions throughout the state.