VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — When the results of the 2024 Presidential Election were certified in Congress on Monday, members of the Virginia Beach Sheriff's Office Emergency Response Team (ERT) were there to help bolster security.
The United States Capitol Police requested assistance from law enforcement agencies, including VBSO, to ensure a peaceful presidential transition.
“When the Capitol Police asked us to supplement its officers for these important national events, we jumped at the opportunity. Our Emergency Response Team is second to none, highly trained and highly vigilant,” said Virginia Beach Sheriff Rocky Holcomb.
VBSO will also provide security during president-elect Trump's inauguration on Jan. 20.
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Monday's election certification appears to have gone uninterrupted — a stark contrast from the last time Congress tried to certify presidential election results in 2021. Four years ago, protesters broke through police barricades and stormed the Capitol in an attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election in which Biden defeated Trump.
Law enforcement officials say ensuring safety at the Capitol during the transition of power is a team effort involving dozens of public safety agencies.
“The eyes of the world will be on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. Elected officials across the country have faced a heightened threat environment in recent years, so we cannot take any chances when it comes to protecting the Members of Congress,” said USCP Chief J. Thomas Manger during a news conference Friday afternoon.
The VBSO ERT specializes in handling high-risk situations and emergencies. They traveled to Maryland in October to receive specialized training from the USCP.
