Norton Encouraged by Meeting with Secret Service on Checkpoint Backup at March on Washington Commemoration

WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) said that she was encouraged by her meeting yesterday with Secret Service Director Julia Pierson regarding the organizational breakdown at last Wednesday's 50th anniversary celebration of the March on Washington. They discussed the checkpoint backup at the March's general public entrance, which left many marchers unable to attend the event, long lines in the heat, humidity and rain, with D.C. emergency workers called out, and reported hospitalizations. Director Pierson told Norton that the Secret Service will have a joint debriefing with the National Park Service (NPS). The NPS underestimated the expected crowd and the Secret Service did not act quickly enough when the crowd grew larger than expected. Norton asked that at the debriefing that the two agencies discuss ways for NPS and the Secret Service to work more closely together on future planning and execution, particularly of large, unprecedented events, and that they issue a report following the debriefing. The March last week was unusual because of the presence of three presidents.

Director Pierson said that several factors made this event different from most large events in the District. In particular, the difficulty of predicting a Wednesday crowd, in the rain, at the beginning of the school year, made planning uniquely challenging. However, Norton said the Wednesday March had more celebrities than the previous Saturday's March, including the entire King family and that most of those who attended were adults, and not affected by the beginning of the school year. She expressed concern about leaving security screenings at large events in the nation's capital to the Secret Service alone, because its mission is focused on protecting the President. Moreover, the fencing put up by NPS crammed people waiting in line into tight spaces on Saturday and Wednesday, which could itself have endangered security and public safety.

"I am encouraged that Director Pierson expressed her regrets and is willing to work closely with NPS to develop strategies so that problems like this do not occur again," said Norton. "I cannot second-guess how the event could have been improved and what can be done to ensure the problem is not repeated. They are experts. The problems that emerged at the March are at odds with the reputation the Secret Service has built for decades. I have every confidence that the Secret Service can accomplish its mission to protect the President, while working closely with NPS at events like this to ensure better preparation and smoother crowd flow. Once an after-action report is issued to help guide both agencies in the future, I believe that the public will be reassured."

Published: September 6, 2013