Anyone interested in a discussion about this "sea of police" in DC?

[1-Old-Man]

As close as I can tell from reports it took just about six minutes from the first notice of this shooting in DC until the whole of the Capitol Complex was in total lockdown by what is being described as "a sea of police". One report from a hill staffer, apparently reporting from inside the Capitol building, said that the police were everywhere and appeared out of nowhere. Just how many police officers does DC have on immediate call? Oh, and if there as many as it appears how does any crime at all get committed in that town?

[Pretzel_Warrior]

1. After 9/11 I think secret service, Capitol police, DC police, and FBI have built some rapid

Response capabilities, don't you? This didn't happen on some back street in quiet neighborhood of DC. It freaking happened at the White House.

[Nay]

2. To my admittedly scanty knowledge, there would be

responders that were: plainclothes Secret Service; uniformed Secret Service; Capitol Police; and regular DC police. I'm sure everyone had heightened awareness due to last month's Navy Yard shooting and they did NOT want this one to get out of hand.

[1000words]

3. Someone crashes their car through a WH gate, I expect every and all available officers to respond

Off-duty ones, to boot.

[1-Old-Man]

7. Yes, but how many of them would you expect to find in 6 minutes?

Seriously, they seemed to appear faster than busses could bring them. Its almost as if there were ten of them under every manhole cover. I'll grant that it is the most policed place in the country, and rightfully so, but this is a face of its protection I've never seen. Its not like there is a traffic jam of police cars coming across the Potomac or down from Silver Springs. There seem to have been thousands of them in place and ready.

[1000words]

11. That does seem quite efficient

My local constables take their sweet time responding to calls in my neighborhood. Alas, I don't live at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

[Whisp]

15. this President gets more threats than all others before.

we don't hear the half of what really goes on in that dept.

that is why there are cops all around and that is why I am glad they are.

[Aerows]

17. Amen

I want them to respond no matter how small the threat.

[Whisp]

24. hey there.

[NCTraveler]

4. I would seriously hope that DC has a "sea of Police".

Look at all of the targets it has. It still has crimes because people have certain rights and the ability to move "freely". This freedom gives individuals the opportunity to commit crimes almost anywhere. Crimes occur on military bases, in police stations, across the street from police stations, in congress......

[seabeyond]

5. good to hear. nt

[LiberalLoner]

6. +1 God bless them, and working for no pay right now too.

[hootinholler]

8. Considering the number of agencies available

The police swarms are truly impressive in DC.

I've witnessed a response of 40ish officers over a kid with an airsoft gun on the metro.

[cynatnite]

9. I'd be worried if there wasn't a sea of police in Washington DC of all places...

That's where our government is located and I want it to have more than enough protection against not just what happened today, but also against those who would seek to take it down. There is a lot of government hatred in this country that is being egged on by the teabaggers in the house.

I have no problem with this level of protection for our capital.

[Barack_America]

10. Are you surprised by the sea of politicians too?

I don't understand. It's Washington DC, the most predictable place for fanatical violence in the country.

[ScreamingMeemie]

12. I expect there to be a "sea of police" in DC of all places.

I also expect to get shot if I act like a whackjob while visiting DC. (just covering that conspiracy theory too, when it comes up)

[Egalitarian Thug]

13. Thinking that police are there to prevent crime is a common mistake.

They are there to keep the rich in power and to remind you that you are not who they work for.

NYC has the most cops of any major U.S. city and LA has the fewest, but crime still thrives in both places.

[KinMd]

18. Washington DC had it's fewest homicides in 2012, since 1962

...

[Egalitarian Thug]

21. OK, and that is relevant how?

[Glassunion]

23. +1.

The job of the police is not to prevent crime.

[FSogol]

14. You do realize there are over 26 separate police departments in DC?

Besides the DC Metropolitan Police, there are:

United States Marshals
United States Park Police
United States Secret Service
National Zoological Park Police
District of Columbia Department of Corrections
District of Columbia Public Library Guard Force
District of Columbia Housing Authority Office of Public Safety
Metro Transit Police Department
Washington National Cathedral Police (Washington National Cathedral)
District of Columbia Protective Services Police Department
United States Capitol Police
United States Secret Service
Supreme Court Police
United States Park Police
Smithsonian Police
United States State Department Diplomatic Security Service (State Department Federal Police)
United States Naval Criminal Investigative Service (Navy Federal Police)
United States Army Criminal Investigative Command (Army Federal Police)
United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations (Air Force Federal Police)
United States Coast Guard Investigative Service (Coast Guard Federal Police)
United States Pentagon Police
United States Mint Police
Bureau of Engraving and Printing Police
United States Postal Police
Federal Bureau of Investigation Police
Federal Protective Service
Government Printing Office Uniformed Police Branch
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
Federal Bureau of Prisons
Drug Enforcement Administration
United States Department of Veterans Affairs Police
Amtrak Police
Military Police Corps
U.S. Federal Reserve Police
American University Department of Public Safety
Catholic University Department of Public Safety
Gallaudet University Department of Public Safety
George Washington University Police Department
Georgetown University Police Department
Howard University Campus Police
University of the District of Columbia Police Department

Stolen from wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_law_enforcement_agencies_in_the_District_of_Columbia

[OmahaBlueDog]

22. Unbelievably, they forgot one - White House Police Force

White House Police Officer Leslie Coffelt was killed and Officers Donald Birdzell and Joseph Downs were injured on November 1, 1950, when Puerto Rican separatists/terrorists attempted to gain entrance to the Blair House to assasinate President Harry Truman.

[Comrade Grumpy]

16. That town is crawling with cops. It's only gotten worse since 9/11.

As a poster above noted, there are more than two dozen separate local and federal police forces there.

[kestrel91316]

19. I guess you haven't noticed all the threats to kill Obama and all the Democrats in Congress and

overthrow our elected government, have you?

And the terrorist threats have escalated since the shutdown and with ACA coming up to speed.

And nobody in DC has forgotten THIS:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Capitol_shooting_incident_(1954)

[cthulu2016]

20. The capitol area is within 3+ police forces

DC police
Park police
Capitol police

The FBI building is two blocks away

The Secret Service had chased the car from the White House

Then there's US Marshalls, Federal protective services...

Lots of security folks around capitol hill