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Several law enforcement agencies in Maryland declined requests for police assistance for President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration because of differing use of force policies in Maryland and Washington D.C., Spotlight on Maryland confirmed.
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) in Washington, D.C., said that several Maryland law enforcement leaders had contacted the agency’s chief to inform her that they would not be sending officers to support.
MPD’s responsibilities during inaugurations have historically included managing protests, securing the outer security perimeters and ensuring the overall safety of Washington, D.C.
In response to the national reform movement that emerged after George Floyd’s death in 2020 in Minneapolis, the Maryland General Assembly implemented The Maryland Police Accountability Act of 2021, a sweeping reform effort that transformed law enforcement interactions with individuals suspected of criminal activity. The law mandated that officers initially employ “de-escalation tactics” and cease using force as quickly as possible when a crime occurs.
The law established a “necessary and proportional” standard for police to intervene in situations that pose a threat of physical violence, ruling out the use of force to prevent property damage or other actions that do not threaten serious injury or death.
The Council of the District of Columbia implemented similar reforms following Floyd’s death, as well. These restrictive regulations were later rolled back in 2024 under emergency legislation to tackle a historic rise in violent crime in Washington, D.C.
The Harford County Sheriff’s Office told Spotlight on Maryland that MPD requested assistance with Monday’s inauguration months ago. Cristie Hopkins, the department’s spokesperson, said the sheriff’s office initially was preparing to send a contingent but ultimately decided to withdraw.
“Having deputies respond to situations [and] being held to a standard in which they are not trained in creates a difficult and particularly dangerous situation,” Hopkins said. “[O]ur deputies were not familiar with the unknown [MPD] policy and would revert to [our] policy and training during a critical incident.”
“It was at that time that the Harford County Sheriff’s Office made the decision to not provide assistance for the inauguration activities,” Hopkins added.
Hopkins said the county was sending two deputies to assist the Maritime Tactical Operations Group in securing the waterways around the nation’s capital.
A spokesperson for the Montgomery County Police Department said that rather than supporting MPD’s duties, their agency would assist the U.S. Capitol Police and the U.S. Park Police with assigned protection details.
“[Our department] was unable to reach an agreement on a memorandum of understanding with MPD,” a Montgomery County police spokesperson said.
Sheriff offices in Calvert, Carroll and Worcester counties said they would not send deputies to the inauguration due to manpower and overtime concerns. However, all three agencies noted that they sent deputies during previous inaugurations.
Washington County Sheriff Brian Albert and Howard County Police Department said they received no requests for assistance from MPD.
MPD Chief Pamela Smith, along with officials from the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S Capitol Police, held a news conference on Sunday to discuss updated law enforcement strategies following a last-minute change to Monday’s inaugural events, moving the swearing in ceremony inside the U.S. Capitol Rotunda and replacing the planned parade with a rally inside the Capital One Arena.
“We recognize that moments like the presidential inauguration are significant opportunities for people to exercise their First Amendment rights,” Smith said. “On Monday, MPD is actively monitoring 19 scheduled First Amendment demonstrations across the city, and we are fully prepared to address them.”
Not all Maryland law enforcement agencies will divert their resources from MPD during the inauguration. Wicomico County Sheriff Michael Lewis told Spotlight on Maryland that he had deployed 12 deputies to assist with event security.
Have a news tip? Contact Gary Collins at gmcollins@sbgtv.com.