In a shocking revelation, over half a dozen local police departments in the Washington, DC Metropolitan area refuse to help with security measures at President-elect Donald Trump’s January 20 inauguration. As nearly 4,000 officers from across the United States have volunteered to commit their time to assist the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) for Trump’s swearing-in ceremony, the city’s own officers say they will not help. However, the main reason why they won’t assist with keeping the event in order is unclear. Several reports suggest the reason for local police officers refusing to help is internal disputes over the Washington Metro Police Department’s use-of-force policy in which they agreed in a lawsuit settlement to restrict the use of sting balls or explosive devices on protestors and rioters.
The MPD provided a link to the policy: "We recognize the importance of upholding the First Amendment rights of individuals to peacefully express their views, and we are committed to facilitating lawful demonstrations while maintaining public order.”
The department has been scrutinized for its handling of previous protests. Its public use-of-force policy states that "deadly force" may only be used when a suspect "poses an imminent danger.”
The Daily Caller reported that the lack of Metro Police officers present at the inauguration could leave the city with hundreds of fewer officers than usual for an event of its size.
More from the outlet:
While MPD claimed thousands of officers will assist with security, several local departments told the Caller they will not be helping. Most were vague with their reasons for skipping this year’s inauguration, but one department confirmed in an email that it was because of a dispute over a memorandum of understanding (MOU), or agreement between departments, with MPD.
“I was just told that based on the current MOU, we will not be assisting Metro PD,” a spokesperson for Montgomery County Police Department in Maryland told the Caller.
Several other police departments have also announced they would not assist security during the upcoming inauguration. Both the Howard and Queen Anne’s County police departments have made it clear they would not support MDP for the event. Queen Anne’s County police cited “technical difficulties” as the reason. Meanwhile, Howard County officials have not elaborated further.
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