Security around Washington, DC has been heightened in preparation for the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on Wednesday, January 20th at noon.
The Capitol Police, US Secret Service, US Parks Police, Washington DC Metropolitan Police and National Guard forces from around the country are all in place to provide security and ensure a peaceful transfer of power.
Today, Coral Gables Police Chief Edward J. Hudak, Jr. announced that Coral Gables Police Department would also be participating in the security detail.
In a post on Instagram, the Coral Gables Police department announced that, “The Chief is sending 27 officers assigned to the 59th Presidential Inauguration detail to Washington D.C. They travel tonight and will assist local law enforcement with security on Wednesday’s events. We wish them a wonderful experience and to come home safe. #presidentialinauguration2021“
Who the heck approved this huge and unnecessary waste of taxpayers’ money?!!! Whoever it was, they need to be held accountable and should reimburse this money to the City right away.
I will send a public records request on who paid for this boondoggle. My guess is that it is the Coral Gables taxpayers. Another absurd attention getting move by our “public servants”, mainly the mayor.
As a retired City of Miami Police Lieutenant, I must agree with the majority of the above writers, what a total waste of manpower, money, & exposure to possibly getting & spreading the Covid virus, by doing this. A very silly move, that makes no sense !
This is a total waste of our tax money and a boondoggle for those attendng. The officers should stay in the Gables and do their job here.
Why do taxpayers have to pay for this? This is unacceptable. Who authorized this nonsense?
The greatest threat to public health and safety in Coral Gables is Covid-19.
According to the head of the CDC the single best protection against the virus spread is the mask.
The City of Coral Gables decided to cave to Gov. DeSantis’ order not to collect mask-up fines. No mask citations have been issued by Gables Police in months. I have the City’s response to my public records request to prove it.
Guess what? The Governor’s order is specifically prohibited by a specific state statute. Our City Attorney Ramos knows that. Every Commissioner and the Mayor know that. They don’t care.
So what do they do instead? They send our police officers to DC for a holiday when they ought to be here issuing mask violations. The trip will save not one life. Local enforcement of the mask ordinance will.
How utterly typical of our City government: it does things like this in secret while we’re dying out here.
https://www.google.com/search?q=distance+miami+to+washington+dc&rlz=1CDGOYI_enUS898US898&oq=distance+miami+to+was&aqs=chrome.0.0i457j69i57j0i22i30l2.12610j1j7&hl=en-US&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#
The City had two weeks between the riot and the inauguration to hold a public hearing on this and to get input from the public on this wasteful idea. They had no hearing because the Commission knew there would be public blowback.
Comm. Keon emailed me to say the federal government is paying for this. Bull. Are the feds paying their salaries when they are on this holiday? Of course not. We are.
Finally, she says this is standard practice for police departments to assist one another. Locally, yes. Not police departments a thousand miles away!
I’m a big fan of Chief Hudack, still, I think this is one time I must question his judgement about leaving our beloved city with less than a full complement of public safety officers. I hope this is not the case.
Will our officers be vetted for political correctness, just like Biden insisted for our proud National Guard? For a virtual inauguration?
Who approved this? I assume our Mayor is behind it.
Is this why we have a 200 strong police force?
As if we didn’t have enough crime in the Gables!
It is time for Chief Hudak to retire. This is the last straw.
completely unnecessary, overkill, there will be 25.000 federal troops plus police from all over the US
i believe that’s 10 % of the Gables police department.
Thank you to the officers representing the City of Coral Gables and being part of the security at the Presidential Inauguration. Your service to our city and to our nation is very much appreciated. Stay safe!
Mario, then you go there for a”pleasant” taxpayer-funded vacation, too.
Really? Like there isn’t already an overload of security for a virtual inauguration? Who’s brilliant idea was this? I hope Coral Gables residents will not be stuck with paying for this! Please provide information on who will be footing the bill.
Really embarrassing, leave them here in Coral Gables to protect us !
RIDICULOUS: they already have thousands of agents to keep security and provide protection on site for the inauguration, sending 27 Coral Gables police officers is absolutely ridiculous, 27 WILL NOT MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE, here in Coral Gables we have crimes that occur every day , the residents of this city need safety and protection with priority in reciprocity for the taxes that are paid. I HOPE THAT THE CRIMINALS DO NOT READ THIS NEWS THAT THERE IS IN CORAL GABLES 27 LESS POLICE OFFICERS.
Who is paying for this? I think the City of Coral Gables needs to provide specifics on this.
So are all expenses paid by the U. S. government taxpayers or is this on the backs of Gables residents?
In the middle of a worsening pandemic, let’s put a substantial portion of our City’s police force on an airplane to expose them to a greater risk of Covid exposure, which then puts the entire police force, when these officers return, along with Gables residents, to a heightened health risk!
Think not? Think again:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2020/12/29/covid-deaths-planes-cabin-pressure/%3FoutputType%3Damp
The decision to send our local police department’s officer to DC for the inauguration is ridiculous.
We should assume, until and unless it’s proven otherwise, that Gables taxpayers are paying for this.
Further, does anyone think that thousands of national guardsmen, thousands of local and regional police, and hundreds of FBI and Secret Service Agents are not enough?
Look, I voted for Biden, so this is not a MAGA response by me.
This is my reaction to the notion that Coral Gables has enough problems of its own and expenses of of its own that we don’t need to become part of a costly national police presence.
A pleasant and safe experience to the CGPD detail at DC. Make us proud!