Pepper Fisher
PORT ANGELES – Port Angeles Police Chief Brian Smith said today that local law enforcement commanders met recently to coordinate plans to step up “situational awareness” today and tomorrow near the Courthouse, particularly along 4th Street, where an increase in traffic and pedestrians is expected as voters move to cast there ballots at the drop boxes there.
We spoke today with Undersheriff Ron Cameron.
“You know, it’s not overwhelming, Pepper. But you know, it’s enough. We’re going about a car minute. And so they’re kind of directing them through the parking lot to keep it orderly, and the elections personnel are right on top of these boxes here at the courthouse and keeping them cleaned out.”
Chief Smith there will be a law enforcement presence outside the Courthouse late afternoon and into the evening tomorrow, and the Sheriff’s Office will keep personnel from the Emergency Operations Center on standby to deal with traffic flow for both days.
In Sequim, where there is one ballot drop box in the JCPenney parking lot, Police Chief Sheri Crain says her Department is “continuing to monitor for any potential issues relating to the election as well as social issues that could result in rallies, protests, or possibly illegal behavior”, though she added that she had “no intelligence to suggest any planned, disruptive events are intended in Sequim.”