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Secret Service, Cops Ramp Up Security Measures in D.C. Ahead of Election

The “enhancements” are “part of wide ranging public safety preparations for Tuesday’s election,” the Secret Service said.

Authorities erected another layer of fencing and barriers around the White House and the Vice President’s residence at the U.S. Naval Observatory on Sunday, adding to the already enhanced security presence in the nation’s capital before the election. The Secret Service added the eight-foot metal fences in both D.C. and parts of West Palm Beach, Florida—the site of Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, The Washington Post reported. “These enhancements are not in response to any specific issue but are part of wide ranging public safety preparations for Tuesday’s election,” the Secret Service said in a statement to the paper. The National Parks Service already closed portions of Lafayette Park and the White House sidewalks in October in preparation for the inauguration. The restrictions are expected to remain in place through February 2025, the agency said in a news release. Meanwhile, the D.C. Metropolitan Police also announced significant road closures and parking restrictions in the city for Vice President Kamala Harris’ watch party at her alma mater, Howard University in the city’s Shaw neighborhood.