At the November 13 COG Board of Directors meeting, officials were briefed by United States Capitol Police Chief of Police J. Thomas Manger, United States Secret Service Washington Field Office Special Agent in Charge (SAIC) William “Matt” McCool, and District of Columbia Assistant City Administrator Christopher Rodriguez on preparations and coordination ahead of the 2025 presidential inauguration, the January 6 certification of electoral votes, and other related events.
SAIC McCool provided a brief background on the whole-of-government approach to the National Special Security Event activities during January. He stressed to local officials that this is a team effort between the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Capitol Police, DC Metropolitan Police Department, and various partners from across the COG jurisdictions that are involved in the ongoing planning process before the presidential inauguration on January 20, 2025. He said that they expect this inauguration to resemble the pre-COVID inauguration of 2017 and concluded his remarks by stating that they are planning to minimize disruptions to the community as much as possible.
U.S. Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger shared more details on the logistics and how his department is using mutual aid — an agreement between law enforcement agencies to provide assistance to each other during large-scale events and emergencies — to ensure that partner agencies will be on site when needed. Chief Manger confirmed that, after January 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol Police has reviewed many after action reports and implemented recommendations that have improved training, staffing, and the police force’s overall posture in preparing for and coordinating large-scale events like the inauguration. He said that, since 2021, they have increased staffing, with 2,200 officers prepared in a wide variety of scenarios. The U.S. Capitol Police has 20 allied agencies that will be on site, many of which are COG member jurisdictions. Chief Manger also described the value of having strong communication methods, noting that the U.S. Capitol Police revamped an intelligence bureau that collects and disseminates information as quickly as possible to its officers, partners, and the public.
D.C Assistant City Administrator Chris Rodriguez opened his remarks by highlighting that the inauguration will be a collective responsibility, supported by resources and assistance from law enforcement partners across the region. Rodriguez acknowledged that Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith will leverage 3,800 additional law enforcement mutual aid personnel that will be supporting DC MPD. Medical preparations are also underway, including with the DC Fire and EMS Department ensuring the well-being of both law enforcement and crowds throughout the city. In addition, COG members will be represented in the DC Emergency Operations Center, and jurisdiction PIOs are encouraged to participate in the Joint Information Center (JIC)— an arm of the Emergency Operations Center—to facilitate smooth information sharing with the public during the week of the inauguration.
COG Board members asked questions to help clarify some of the operational plans and regional coordination for the inauguration events. All the speakers reiterated the importance of having strong communication channels with law enforcement partners to ensure that information is disseminated in a timely manner to officials on the ground and to the public. In addition, they said they are working collaboratively and regionally to ensure a smooth transition of power.
In the months leading up to the general election and through the inauguration, COG’s Department of Homeland Security and Public Safety has been and will continue to regularly convene local, state, and federal officials to communicate and coordinate on security initiatives ensuring the region is prepared for these major events.
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DC Presidential Inauguration Page