Many dozens of law enforcement officers from the Twin Cities departed Wednesday for their assignments Friday along the presidential inaugural parade route.
Forty deputies with the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office will be sworn in as deputy U.S. marshals while assigned to the 2.4-mile route along Pennsylvania Avenue from the U.S. Capitol to the White House, which Donald Trump and his family will travel once he is sworn in as president.
All costs associated with sending the deputies to Washington, including travel expenses, are covered by the federal government, the Sheriff's Office said. This is the fourth consecutive inauguration that the Sheriff's Office has provided personnel.
With more than 1 million people expected in Washington for inaugural activities, Washington area law enforcement needs to hire additional personnel to handle crowd control and other security needs.
There will be roughly 200 law enforcement officers from throughout Minnesota working at the parade, which will entertain the attendees with marching bands, floats, military regiments and other attractions.
Minneapolis sent 39 people from its department Wednesday for inaugural parade duties, said Sgt. Catherine Michal. As with Hennepin County, Minneapolis has sent officers to previous inaugural parades.
From the east side of the Twin Cities, there are 38 Ramsey County sheriff's deputies and two White Bear Lake police officers assigned to the inaugural parade, said sheriff's spokesman John Eastham.
Also from Minnesota, the State Patrol is sending 22 troopers, said Department of Public Safety spokesman Bruce Gordon.
