Trump at Mar-a-Lago: How has security around club changed since first assassination attempt?
Within a week of the July 13 attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, Palm Beach became a town cut in half.
The closure of South Ocean Boulevard near Trump's Mar-a-Lago Club was only one part of the increased security around the Republican nominee for president.
Here's a look at some of the visible security measures and changes around Mar-a-Lago that play a role in protecting Trump, who faced an apparent second attempted assassination on Sept. 15.
What happened to cause the increased security?
There have been two assassination attempts on Trump in as many months.
The first was at a July 13 campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where one Trump supporter was killed and Trump and two other supporters were injured. A Secret Service sniper killed the gunman, 20-year-old Thomas Crooks.
A second attempt was apparently in the works on Sept. 15, as Trump golfed at his Trump International club in suburban West Palm Beach, a short drive from Mar-a-Lago. As the Secret Service moved ahead of Trump on the course, an agent spotted the barrel of a rifle poking through bushes along the sixth fairway. The agent fired at the man, who did not return fire or have Trump in his line of sight, law-enforcement officials have said.
That man, 58-year-old Ryan Routh, was taken into custody. He faces federal gun charges, and the investigation is ongoing.
In the wake of July 13, the Secret Service was criticized for its protection of Trump. The agency's director at the time, Kimberly Cheatle, resigned, and she was replaced by Acting Director Ronald Rowe, a former West Palm Beach police officer. A congressional task force is reviewing the Secret Service preparation of and response to that incident.
Do former presidents typically receive the same protection as sitting presidents?
No. While the Secret Service is authorized to offer lifetime protection to former presidents and their spouses, historically, the level of protection for former presidents varies on a case-by-case basis, law-enforcement sources said. It can largely dependent upon threat levels and other security concerns.
The Secret Service is authorized to protect a range of dignitaries, including the current president and vice president and their immediate families; a president-elect and vice president-elect and their immediate families; former presidents and their spouses; children of former presidents until age 16; visiting heads of state; and major presidential and vice presidential candidates and their spouses within 120 days of a general presidential election. The president can also authorize Secret Service protection for other people via executive order.
A Secret Service spokesperson previously told the Daily News that after July 13, the agency "elevated the protective posture of all our protectees and bolstered our protective details as appropriate in order to ensure the highest levels of safety and security for the people and places we protect.
"The Secret Service works closely with our public safety partners to establish the best possible security plan while minimizing the disruptions to the public, residences and businesses," the agency added. "Once a security plan is enacted, the Secret Service continuously monitors and evaluates the security plan and makes adjustments accordingly."
What has changed at Mar-a-Lago?
People approaching Mar-a-Lago since July 13 first notice a massive law-enforcement presence.
While officers were visible around Mar-a-Lago before that date, the number increased in the days soon afterward.
At points south and west of the property, the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office staffs checkpoints to screen large vehicles, including box trucks that are either traveling to or past the club.
Several sheriff's deputies are stationed closer to Mar-a-Lago, along with U.S. Secret Service police and their vehicles.
The Palm Beach Police Department's role includes having an officer around the clock every day at a command center at Mar-a-Lago, a police spokesperson said. The department also helps with demonstrations near Mar-a-Lago, makes many of the arrests in connection with incidents at the club and helps to mitigate traffic issues elsewhere on the island that are caused by the closure of South Ocean Boulevard.
What is happening with South Ocean Boulevard?
Palm Beach announced on July 18 that the U.S. Secret Service had ordered the closure of South Ocean Boulevard. The change took effect July 20 and officials originally said the road would be closed from the Southern Boulevard traffic circle next to Mar-a-Lago north to South County Road through at least the Nov. 5 general election.
Since then, the town, Secret Service and Mar-a-Lago reached an agreement announced Aug. 19 to open the road when Trump is not home for extended periods of time.
Residents within the security zone north of Mar-a-Lago have to drive to the north checkpoint at South County Road and present identification to enter the area. Only emergency vehicles can pass through the south checkpoint.
Some residents who live in the security zone have told officials that employees and deliveries have had difficulty getting through the checkpoint, with some adding that Amazon and food-delivery drivers are turning away rather than wait in line.
Which other agencies are involved in protecting Trump at Mar-a-Lago?
The U.S. Coast Guard establishes temporary security zones in the water on either side of Mar-a-Lago when Trump is home or expected to return home.
When the security zones are in effect, boaters are barred from traveling in the Intracoastal Waterway just west of Mar-a-Lago, with vessels allowed to pass through but not stop in the Intracoastal closer to West Palm Beach and in the Atlantic Ocean just east of the property.
When Trump is at Mar-a-Lago, law-enforcement boats will display flashing blue lights and Coast Guard Sector Miami will broadcast a notice to boaters on VHF channel 16, the Coast Guard has said.
The Federal Aviation Administration also plays a role in safeguarding Trump, issuing notices to pilots to protect the airspace over Mar-a-Lago and banning drones from flying near the property.
The Florida Department of Transportation owns and maintains South Ocean Boulevard, which is State Road A1A. FDOT works with law enforcement to set up and take down the security checkpoints, which include concrete barriers, traffic cones and electronic message signs.
FDOT also works with the Coast Guard to adjust bridge-opening schedules in the town when Trump is home.
The Florida Highway Patrol and other regional law-enforcement agencies are called in to provide additional security for visiting dignitaries or if Trump travels outside the Southern Boulevard corridor between Trump International, Mar-a-Lago and Palm Beach International Airport.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Trump at Mar-a-Lago: How security changed around club after July 13