President-elect: US secret service ramps up Biden’s protection

THE United States Secret Service has ramped up the protection provided for the nation’s former vice president and the strong contender for the Washington Office, Joe Biden.

Joe Biden based on the election count is leading the incumbent president, Donald Trump. As of the time of this publication, based on Associated Press, a big US media outlet’s data, Biden’s electoral college vote was 264 while Trump has gathered 214.

The required college votes to be declared winner is pegged at 270.

The nation awaits final results from Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada, and North Carolina.

According to Washington Post report, the Secret Service has detailed more agents to Delaware, Biden’s hometown, to increase the amount of protection around him after the campaign for the Democratic nominee noted they would be requiring use of the Wilmington convention centre for at least one more day with suggestions that the former Vice President could make a major speech on Friday.

Although the Secret Service does not publicly discuss its security arrangements for the president or the candidates it protects, dozens of agents are currently providing security for the Biden campaign at the Chase Center at the Riverfront convention centre in Wilmington.

Biden’s additional security would begin on Friday, however, it is not the full protective detail that would normally accompany a president-elect, but it is more elevated than his current setup, DailyMail reported.

Part of the nation’s Secret Service mission reads; “The Secret Service is recognized for the physical protection it provides to the nation’s highest elected leaders, visiting foreign dignitaries, facilities and major events.

“In order to ensure a secure environment for protectees, the Secret Service integrates a variety of innovative technologies and maintains a highly skilled and motivated workforce.”

Biden had earlier received Secret Service protection in March for protection as a presidential candidate, sources familiar with the matter told CNN back then.

“The US Secret Service can confirm Acting Secretary of Homeland Security, Chad F. Wolf, along with the Congressional Advisory Committee has authorized that the Secret Service provide physical protection for presidential candidate, former vice president Joseph Biden,” a Secret Service spokesperson said in a statement quoted by CNN.

Biden’s Secret Service was code named “Celtic,” according to two sources familiar with the matter, which was his code name as vice president.

If Biden is finally declared the winner of the presidential election but Trump still refuses to concede, the Secret Service team may be told to wait until mid-December when the electoral college meets before treating Biden as the president-elect according to the Washington Post.

Either way, the Secret Service would be likely to ramp up protection on Biden well before that date, a former agent said to the Post.

(Credit: The Washington Post)