CENTRAL TEXAS – Several law enforcement agencies in Central Texas plan to beef up their troop numbers Tuesday for Election Day. A retired police officer said they need to be prepared just in case.

“Law enforcement will be prepared for this Election Day,” said retired police Lt. Randy Sutton.

Sutton said in case history repeats itself.

As Americans awaited the results of the 2020 presidential election, protests erupted across the country. Four years later, “we heard a lot of speeches from different sides saying that if their candidate was not elected, they would not accept him and that could lead to protests, that could lead to riots,” said Sutton.

Law enforcement agencies across Central Texas are preparing just in case.

“They have to have the staff, they have to have plans, they have to have contingency plans,” Sutton said.

The Pflugerville Police Department said they are actively monitoring social media.

“Social media has become a focal point for creating protests, flash mobs, that sort of thing and police departments now have to regularly review social media to determine if there are threats coming from that avenue.” , Sutton said. .

Austin police, West Lake Hills police, Pflugerville police and the Travis County Sheriff’s Office said they were working with other agencies, including the Austin Regional Intelligence Center.

“There are tons of informants who have their finger on the pulse of radical groups and fringe groups that might be planning to create havoc,” Sutton said.

Last week, a law enforcement official said incendiary devices found at the scene of ballot burnings in Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington, carried the message “Liberate Gaza.”

An assault was reported at a polling station in San Antonio. The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office said poll workers asked a man to remove his red MAGA hat inside. The man then punched an election clerk.

“We need to be realistic about the risk of violence at these polling places,” Sutton said.

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Kyle police said they added all polling locations to their patrol routes to proactively monitor them. Austin police, Georgetown police and Cedar Park police said they would have more patrol officers available on Election Day.

“Security will be increased,” Sutton said. “There will be citizens present at polling stations who will be instructed to contact law enforcement if they see something that they feel or deem suspicious, or if people act inappropriately. way that could cause problems.”

When it’s time to count the votes, the Hays County Sheriff’s Office said there will be additional officers on duty at the election office.

“Should we be afraid of the outcome of the election because of some type of threat or violence resulting from the election? The sad reality is that we are living in very, very strange times. We are living in a time where we are a divided nation,” Sutton said.

Sutton said to prepare, but don’t be paranoid.