WASHINGTON — Hours after the Orlando shootings early Sunday morning, D.C. police began ramping up security and getting in touch with area hotels and restaurants.
D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier heard about the shootings just before 6 a.m. Sunday and said she had only a few hours before official D.C. Pride events got underway, she said during a news conference Monday afternoon.
“We immediately did a move of personnel and security. Then it was a series of calls,” she told reporters.
Calls to partners in the FBI and Department of Homeland Security, she confirmed. But the D.C. police’s LGBT unit as well as other investigators also reached out to area hotels, restaurants and clubs.
“We wanted to make sure we knew where not only official events are, but informal events where we know people are going to be socializing and gathering in good numbers so we have a presence,” she said.
Security needed to be more than just the uniforms you can see, Lanier said, saying she wanted private sector partners to be aware and do what they needed to ensure their customers’ safety.
“It was an all-day coordination to make sure you’re not missing anything,” she said.
