There are multiple police forces in DC. A visit to Lafayette Square Park and the Whitehouse reminded me just how many there are. We all know of the Secret Service. They protect prominent political figures and foreign dignitaries. The United States Park Police guards the physical Whitehouse, and they spend the majority of their days asking tourists to stay on the opposite side of Pennsylvania Avenue from the President's mansion. I watch a fat woman, probably American, bag of popcorn in hand, child at her side holding an American flag - she walks up to the gate and a uniformed policeman magically appears to ask her to cross back to the other side of the street. Asian, probably Japanese, tourists approach the gate for a group photo. Another cop randomly appears and asks them to cross the street. They obviously don't understand. An Asian man hands the cop his camera. He wants the officer to take a picture of them. They officer uses the camera to lure the group away from the foreboding fence. There are cops on bikes, plain dress, and in cars all over this complex. I wonder if other people find it amazing that they even let us as close as they do. The resident protester/bum makes constant noise. Obviously he is not a threat, or maybe they consider him a sleeper-cell. Here comes a fat family waddling my way. The obese mother figure asks if I would take their picture. I happily oblige. They are all wearing matching sweatshirts with "We will not forget" printed on the front in bold red, white and blue letters. This is a family of 7. Jesus, 5 kids. That must be expensive. They seem wholesome. I wonder if they are God-fearing Mormons?
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