A piece of Brazos County was present in Washington, D.C. Friday during President Donald Trump’s inauguration — 103 police officers.
Each year, the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department calls for officers across the country to provide extra security during the presidential inauguration. Brazos County area officers have participated for the past three inaugurations. Of the 103 who attended, 24 were from the Bryan Police Department, 16 from the College Station Police Department, nine from the Texas A&M University Police Department, two from the Brenham Police Department and 25 deputies from the Brazos County Sheriff’s Office.
“It gives us the opportunity to shed a positive light on the city of Bryan where people there have never heard of it,” said Kelley McKethan, Bryan Police Department public information officer. “I got a couple of Facebook posts from the people [the officers] interacted with and [they] said, ‘The officers of Bryan Police Department were very nice and courteous. We really enjoyed visiting with them.’”
Sgt. Blaine Krauter of the College Station Police Department organized the group of officers from his department who traveled to Washington, and said the officers were warned of potential problems with the crowd.
“We were warned on this one that there could be a chance of more violence,” Krauter said. “The way they have it laid out, it would have taken a lot of work for [the protesters] to get to the parade route, and that’s the whole reason why we are there — to secure the route.”
Krauter, who served at former President George Bush’s second inauguration and former President Barack Obama’s second inauguration, said officers consider the service a privilege.
“It’s an honor to be able to attend something as significant as this,” Krauter said. “Hours are long, but you are standing shoulder to shoulder with your brothers from all over the country and work this event.”
The Texas A&M University Police Department participated in its fourth inauguration ceremony this year. Lt. Ed Costello said the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department needs officers from all over to provide such a large security presence.
“During the inauguration, there is a lot of security presence that is required in the capital,” Costello said. “We have large crowds and people coming from all over the country, if not the world, to witness the inauguration.”
McKethan participated in the 2009 inauguration and said it was a once in a lifetime event that she was glad to be a part of.
“It’s probably something I will never get to do again,” McKethan said. “When you get [to Washington] and see all the other officers there, you realize how little of a part you are playing and you see thousands of other officers from different parts of the United States.”