Florida Police, National Guard prepare for ‘safest grand opening ever’



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TALLAHASSEE – Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are expected to be officially confirmed as president and vice-president in a ceremony starting Wednesday at noon.

In addition to the pandemic, the FBI warns of credible threats and armed protests in Washington DC and all state capitals of the United States.

Security is a big concern after the deadly January 6 breach at the U.S. Capitol.

Right now, FBI agents in Jacksonville are researching tricks and monitoring threats, just like their counterparts across the country, spokeswoman Amanda Videll said. And they are just one of many groups protecting the nation ahead of a controversial big day.

News4Jax spotted police from several agencies on the prowl atop government buildings in Tallahassee on Sunday and Monday as the National Guard was on standby.

In Washington, 25,000 members of the guard support thousands of police; about 600 soldiers and airmen come from Florida.

Police officers from Florida agencies like the Miami Beach Police Department are also visiting the capital to lend their support.

“This will be the safest election inauguration ever,” said Ambassador Nancy Soderberg, who now teaches at the University of North Florida. “It’s going to be like a war zone.”

Soderberg is an American foreign policy strategist who has held several high-level positions in the Clinton administration. She has attended four openings and says that while security is always a concern, she has never noticed as many threats as this time around.

“January 20 should be a celebration of American democracy. Who we are as Americans is majority rule, and mob violence has no place in our society. And that too will be part of the January 20 message, ”Soderbeg said.

Christopher Miller, the acting Defense Secretary, said the Defense Department would also be reviewing the military guarding the event.

“While we have no information indicating an internal threat, we are sparing no effort to secure the capital,” Miller said in a written statement to reporters.

The Secret Service released a map showing the streets they will block in Washington on Wednesday. It is the majority of downtown Washington DC

DC Closures
DC Closures

“I think they learned [with] regarding the Capitol uprising and they have put in place additional measures to prevent it, ”said News4Jax crime and security expert Ken Jefferson.

He believes that with so much tension and threats, the police will spare no expense.

“That’s the plan, to deter with that presence,” he said.

Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams said he was not aware of any direct threats to the northeastern Florida area, but his agents were monitoring the situation.

Copyright 2021 by WJXT News4Jax – All rights reserved.

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