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Palm Beach County getting $3.4 million to offset President Donald Trump security costs

Written By: Skyler Swisher, Sun Sentinel 

Palm Beach County law enforcement agencies will be getting just over $3.4 million in federal funds to offset the costs of protecting President Donald Trump when he visits Mar-a-Lago.

Almost all of those dollars will go to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, which has taken the lead assisting the Secret Service in guarding Trump’s estate in Palm Beach.

Palm Beach County Mayor Melissa McKinlay praised federal lawmakers for setting aside the money.

“I feel like Christmas just came early for the county taxpayers,” she said.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is distributing the money to cover overtime costs related to presidential protection from Trump’s inauguration in January to Sept. 30.

The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office will receive $3.3 million, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The Palm Beach Police Department will receive $71,270, while the West Palm Beach Police Department will get $63,163. The Broward Sheriff’s Office will receive $54,916.

Earlier this year, those agencies received a combined $1 million to offset the cost of protecting Trump when he visited as president-elect.

That reimbursement fully covers the expenses incurred by the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, according to figures provided by agency spokeswoman Teri Barbera.

The New York City Police Department, which helps guard Trump Tower, is getting $36 million, the largest grant nationwide. Law agencies in New Jersey — home to a Trump golf club where the president spent weekends this summer — will receive $945,707.

County commissioners and South Florida congressional members wrote letters pleading for help with costs associated with Trump’s visits. At one point, U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, D-West Palm Beach, held a news conference within eyesight of Mar-a-Lago to draw attention to the issue.

“These reimbursements will provide needed relief to local budgets,” Frankel said.

Trump is expected to spend the holidays at Mar-a-Lago, marking his 10th trip to Palm Beach since becoming president.

The Federal Aviation Administration is warning pilots to expect flight restrictions associated with presidential visits starting Friday and running through Jan. 1.