OCEAN CITY – With a crowd of a million or more expected to pile into the nation’s capital on Tuesday for the Presidential Inauguration, law enforcement agencies from all over the country have been called upon to lend support, including a substantial contingent from Ocean City and Worcester County.
The Ocean City Police Department was recently invited to assist during the historic 56th inauguration and is sending a contingent of 10 officers, along with two members of the Ocean City Fire Marshal’s Office. In addition, 12 members of the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office will be traveling to the nation’s capital early next week, joining their Ocean City brethren in helping with security and other details.
The Ocean City police group will be deputized by U.S. Marshals on Monday and will be assigned to support specifically designated National Security special events on Tuesday, including the inauguration itself, the parade and the official inaugural balls. According to the plan, the OCPD group will be assigned to a specific area along Pennsylvania Ave. for the inaugural parade.
In addition, as president of the Maryland Chiefs of Police Association, OCPD Chief Bernadette DiPino has been asked to represent the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics by walking in the parade. Joining the chief will be her daughter Tabitha, a Stephen Decatur graduate and police officer for the Baltimore County Police Department.
“It’s a huge professional honor for our department to be chosen to participate in the presidential inaugural parade,” said DiPino this week. “Not to mention the enormous personal honor it is for me to represent the Maryland Chiefs of Police and the Special Olympics.”
Meanwhile, the 12 members of the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office will be providing security along the parade route on Tuesday.