As the upcoming presidential inauguration comes closer, U.S. Secret Service has been preparing for the last six months for the change in power.
One special agent in charge says they have to deal with more levels of security than they have before.
"We're prepared and we're ready for this," Chris Caruso, the assistant special agent in charge for the Washington, D.C. field office, said.
Caruso says his team is working with local law enforcement and emergency personnel to keep everyone -- including the president-elect safe.
"We have the resources we need to secure this area for this national, special security event," Caruso said.
Without revealing specifics of plans, Caruso says spectators and even protestors will notice a bit of a difference if they're taking part in the inauguration celebration.
"They're free to come here and exercise their first amendment rights for free speech. What we do prohibit and what we do control, are the size or the types of objects that people bring into secured areas," he said.
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There will be bag checkpoints and metal detectors throughout the parade route.
"Every plan that we conduct, every security plan that we advance are done from the ground up. So this plan is completely different from the last plan on the inauguration and in fact every single location we go with our national leaders is a different security plan," Caruso said.
He adds despite an intense political season and election, his agents have one mission.
"We protect every single person that we're assigned the exact same way. So whether that person is athletic or they're non-athletic, or they're vocal or non-vocal, we protect them the same way. That 360 degree sphere, if you will, of protection, we maintain that no matter who's in charge," Caruso said.
Caruso says although security will be tight, he's encouraging people to come to the inauguration saying security shouldn't be the focus of this event.
Secret Service also wants to let the public know about road closures and closed pedestrian routes on Inauguration Day.
View maps for pedestrian route closures.
View maps for vehicle restrictions.
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