Washington – About 750 feet above the nation's capital, a brand new state-of-the-art DC Police helicopter will be in the sky inauguration on monday,
What might pilot Jeff Hertel be looking for?
“Different crowd parameters and crowd control,” Hertel told CBS News. “And suspicious vehicles, maybe, outside the perimeter area, big trucks and stuff, make sure they have people with them.”
Hertel says being in the sky gives law enforcement “the ability to see distances.”
“You can see a car speeding by, you can look on the roof at night to see if there's a thief up there, or if he has a weapon,” he said.
however opening ceremony For President-elect Donald Trump has been transferred In a highly fortified and secure US Capitol due to demand for forecasts extreme coldHelicopters will still be an important tool as the inaugural parade will also be held indoors, at the Capital One Arena in downtown DC, which will host about 20,000 people.
DC police will also be keeping an eye on crowds, as many of those who may have gone to the National Mall are still expected to gather across the city.
The helicopter's on-board cameras can read license plates from 1,000 feet above, and send live video to the department's real-time crime center.
“It gives us a chance to really see what's happening across the city, especially in large crowds,” D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith told CBS News.
Smith said that new orleans truck attack In which 14 people died, and tesla cybertruck bombing Law enforcement has been put on high alert outside the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas — both incidents occurred on New Year's Day.
“I would say that any time there's domestic terrorism … it always forces us to step up our security efforts,” Smith said.
When asked what was driving the vigil at night leading up to Inauguration Day, the police chief responded: “The fact is that there may be lone wolves, copycats out there.”
While official inauguration events take place indoors, D.C. police remain on high alert for violent protests outside the secure zone. similar to them In 2017 where hundreds of people were arrested around Trump's first inauguration. Eight years later, Smith says there's hope for more officers patrolling the neighborhood.
“We want people to come and protest, but we will not allow any type of violence in our city,” Smith said.
