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Police, Security Forces Bracing for Trump Impeachment Trial

Jeff Seldin

   WASHINGTON - Security and police forces in and around Washington will
   be operating at what they describe as "a high-level of readiness" as
   the impeachment trial for former President Donald Trump gets underway
   next week, worried the event could serve as a flashpoint for American
   extremists still angry over the outcome of the presidential election.

   Officials have been hesitant to share specifics about the intelligence,
   some of which has been described as disturbing chatter on social media
   platforms. But following the siege of the U.S. Capitol on January 6,
   which resulted in the deaths of five people, they have been public
   about not wanting to leave anything to chance.

   "We must demonstrate an overt security presence in (Washington) D.C.,
   at least for now," Christopher Rodriguez, director of the city's
   Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency, told lawmakers
   during a hearing Thursday.

   "We believe that this posture is essential to ensuring that the
   Metropolitan Police Department can deploy resources to all parts of the
   city during an emergency," he said, adding, "We will not tolerate
   violence in our city."

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