Several Washington, D.C., metro-area police departments say they will not assist the capital city with security measures for President-elect Donald J. Trump’s inauguration on Monday. A disagreement over the memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Washington, D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) has led to around a half-dozen local law enforcement agencies declining to provide support for the high-security event—likely depriving the city of hundreds of additional officers.
“I was just told that based on the current MOU, we will not be assisting Metro PD,” a spokesman for Maryland’s Montgomery County Police Department said regarding the decision. Joining Mongomery County are several other Maryland police departments, including those for Howard and Queen Anne’s Counties and the Frederick County Sheriff’s Department.
Meanwhile, Maryland’s Anne Arundel and Prince George’s police departments stress that they will be sending officers to aid the U.S. Capitol Police but not the MPD. Washington, D.C.’s MPD has been plagued with scandal in recent years, especially regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and ineffective, soft-on-crime arrest policies. It appears other departments, troubled by these measures, are unwilling to work with the MPD specifically.
However, the MPD’s lack of outside assistance may only impact auxiliary security measures, as the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) and U.S. Capitol Police are the primary leads on security for the inauguration. Additionally, the deployment of National Guard units around the capital will serve to bolster the overall security environment.
The National Pulse previously reported that the Secret Service and Capitol Police are especially concerned with planned demonstrations and potential lone-wolf attackers. Notably, due to forecasted severe cold temperatures, the inauguration has been moved inside the U.S. Capitol, which should provide an additional layer of protection.
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