By Joanna Putman
Police1
ARLINGTON, Texas — Arlington police officers will not be stationed at polling locations on Election Day, prioritizing a non-intimidating environment for voters while maintaining a close presence for quick responses if necessary, KERA News reported.
Sgt. Alex Rosado explained that Arlington police aim to ensure voters feel comfortable and safe, and will respond only to serious incidents, such as violence or intimidation, at polling sites, according to the report. Minor disruptions or nuisances will not trigger immediate police responses to avoid any appearance of interference.
“We don’t want to do that, we want everyone to freely go into the polling place, feel comfortable, feel safe, so we’re definitely going to monitor but you may not see us and that’s by design,” Rosado said.
Rosado said officers stationed at polling sites could be seen as a type of voter intimidation, which is why the department is taking a different approach to election safety.
“We want to make sure the officers appear neutral and that we’re not picking a side on any of these incidents because that’s not what we want to do,” Rosado said. “We’re also cognizant that our appearance could be a type of voter intimidation, and we don’t want to do that either.”
Despite a history of peaceful elections in Arlington, police have developed a comprehensive plan and are monitoring for potential unrest, according to the report. Arlington’s Real Time Crime Center will continue tracking activity online, though no specific threats have been reported. Rosado added that police preparedness will extend beyond Election Day, covering the post-election period and the upcoming presidential inauguration in January.
“We’re always prepared, like we’ve created a plan in place and I think that’s just part of us being professional and making sure that we are serving our citizens,” Rosado said.
Nearby in Dallas, police have logged extensive overtime hours for election-specific training to manage any potential demonstrations before and after Election Day.
“We have increased our training over the last couple of months for our specialized response group in preparation for the election and post-election potential protest,” Interim Police Chief Michael Igo told members of the Public Safety Committee.
