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

TALLAHASSEE – Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are scheduled to be officially confirmed as president and vice president at a ceremony that starts at noon on Wednesday.

In addition to the pandemic, the FBI is warning of reliable armed threats and protests in Washington DC and in all state capitals of the United States

Security is a major concern after the January 6 deadly breach on the United States Capitol.

At the moment, FBI agents Jacksonville are tracking tips and monitoring threats, as well as their colleagues across the country, said spokeswoman Amanda Videll. And they are just one of many groups that protect the nation before a big and controversial day.

News4Jax spotted police officers from various agencies lurking on top of government buildings in Tallahassee on Sunday and Monday, while the National Guard was on standby.

In DC, 25,000 members of the Guard are supporting thousands of police; approximately 600 soldiers and airmen are from Florida.

Officers from Florida agencies, such as the Miami Beach Police Department, are also traveling to the capital to provide support.

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

Soderberg is an American foreign policy strategist who held several senior positions in the Clinton administration. He has been to four openings and says that although security is always a concern, he has never noticed so many threats as this time.

“January 20 must be a celebration of American democracy. What we are as Americans is the rule of the majority, and the violence of the crowd has no place in our society. And that will also be part of the message on January 20, ”said Soderbeg.

Christopher Miller, interim defense secretary, said the Department of Defense will also examine the military guarding the event.

“Although we have no information to indicate an internal threat, we are not leaving any stone unturned in the security of 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 most of downtown Washington DC

DC closures
DC closures

“I think they learned [with] in relation to the Capitol uprising and they put in extra 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 is the plan, to stop that presence,” he said.

Jacksonville sheriff Mike Williams said he was not aware of any direct threats to the Northeast Florida area, but his officers are monitoring the situation.

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