Federal operation involving ICE and Park Police leads to arrests along Clara Barton Parkway

U.S. Park Police, with other federal officers, were conducting an enforcement operation on Clara Barton Parkway when three occupants sprang from a vehicle and ran away, according to a Park Police statement.

After a pursuit, two people were taken into custody and a search for the third person was called off, according to NBC4.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement was the “arresting agency,” Park Police said. The Banner made multiple inquiries to ICE on Wednesday were not immediately returned.

No information was available regarding charges or those who were arrested.

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue had been called to the scene because it was believed that some of the people who fled the stop might have entered the Potomac River, according to NBC4. Emergency workers searched the river between Lock 7 and Lock 10.

Multiple calls from The Banner to county fire officials on Wednesday were not returned.

Montgomery County Police spokesperson Degan Bartels said in a statement that county police assisted in a limited capacity following a request from Park Police.

“MCPD’s role was limited solely to ensuring officer safety and providing assistance if rescue or emergency response became necessary,” Bartels said. “After it was determined that our assistance was not needed, MCPD officers disengaged from the incident.”

County police policy is to refrain from participating in federal civil immigration enforcement actions. MCPD officers did not participate in “the pursuit, detention, apprehension, or enforcement actions associated with this federal operation,” Bartels said.