On Monday, the route wended through East Stuart for the annual MLK Day parade. But Friday, the Martin County Sheriff's Office will be part of a much bigger parade.
Sheriff William Snyder says he got a call a few months ago from the Inaugural Security Committee, asking for their help to keep the crowds safe in Washington.
“We're proud to be part of an historic occasion. Our assignment will be on the parade route itself," said Sheriff Snyder.
Security issues prevent the Sheriff from saying where on the route they’ll be and how many of them are going. But he did say his contingent will be made up of members of the Rapid Response team.
“We’ll be sworn in under the authority of the US Marshals service. We have about six hours of training we have to go through.”
The Rapid Response Team most recently went up to Flagler County in North Florida after Hurricane Matthew scraped the coast.
“It's a team that can be asked to go anywhere in the United States to assist in disasters and law enforcement challenges," said Sheriff Snyder.
With all of the rancor from this past election, the Sheriff says his team will be ready for whatever they could face.
“In the modern era with the threats of terrorism, fringe groups that want to demonstrate. We have to be prepared for anything that might happen.”
The sheriff and his deputies will be heading to Washington on Wednesday. The federal government is picking up the teams travel costs and other expenses.
