Mark Sullivan, Director of the United States Secret Service, at a hearing of the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee in May of 2012.

The retirement comes after a tough year for the service, which was rocked by a prostitution scandal that resulted in the resignation or firing of six agents.

Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan will retire after 30 years in service, The Associated Press and other news outlets are reporting.

Sullivan is retiring after a tough year for the agency. If you remember, 11 of its agents were involved in a prostitution scandal in Colombia.

The scandal resulted in the firing or resignation of six agents, as well as a tightening of the code of conduct.

The Hill has some details about Sullivan:

"Before becoming directory of the agency, Sullivan oversaw criminal investigations involving credit cars and bank fraud, and served for five years over two separate assignments on the Presidential Protective Division. In an administrative capacity, Sullivan headed the agency's Vice Presidential Protective Division and human resources and training division before being named director."

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