Given organizers of the 56th Presidential Inaugural are striving to make inauguration week the most "open" of any in American history, the U.S. Secret Service is being tested like never before.
In cooperation with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, the federal agency that is responsible for protecting the president and vice president has now been tasked with developing the overall security plan for next month's many inaugural ceremonies — designated a National Special Security Event.
Among myriad security measures we know about: Attendees will be subject to thorough security screenings before entering the inaugural parade route, the White House reviewing stand and the inaugural balls. (The agency is already warning that lines may be long.)
Those items, among the obvious weapons and ammunition, prohibited from the inaugural parade route and the White House reviewing stand: bicycles, backpacks, packages, large bags, aerosols, coolers, thermal or glass containers, laser pointers, animals other than guide dogs, and supports for signs and placards. (Signs and placards should be made of cardboard, poster board or cloth and have dimensions no greater than 3 feet in width, 20 feet in length and one-quarter inch in thickness.)
Private pilots should be forewarned that a combined air-security plan will be implemented to provide airspace security over the entire Washington metropolitan area during inaugural week, while boaters should know that there will be an enhanced security presence on the waterways through and around Washington.