The United States Marshals Service is a federal law enforcement agency in the United States. The Marshals Service serves as the enforcement and security arm of the U.S. federal judiciary, although it is an agency of the U.S. Department of Justice and operates under the direction of the U.S. Attorney General. U.S. Marshals are the original U.S. federal law enforcement officers, created by the Judiciary Act of 1789 during the presidency of George Washington as the "Office of the United States Marshal" under the U.S. District Courts. The USMS was established in 1969 to provide guidance and assistance to U.S. Marshals throughout the federal judicial districts.