Aug 5, 2008 7:29 am US/Central
3,500 Officers Needed For RNC Security
ST. PAUL (WCCO) ―
-
-
On Monday, St. Paul Police Chief John Harrington said 3,500 police officers will be adequate to staff the RNC. (File)
Xcel Energy Center
As crews work to get the
Xcel Energy Center ready for the Republican National Convention in September, police officers across the state are getting ready for the security challenge of being host to a national political convention.
On Monday, St. Paul Police Chief John Harrington said 3,500 police officers will be adequate to staff the RNC.
"What we really want to say here is that it is going to be a great event," Harrington said. "It is going to be a safe event."
Speaking outside the
Xcel Energy Center, Harrington said 54 law enforcement agencies in Minnesota have signed agreements to do security for convention events. Another 28 are close to signing the agreement.
Not everyone agrees 3,500 officers are going to be enough. The St. Paul Police Federation wants more.
"Of course we're concerned, because you know, our officers are going to be in the front line," Federation president Dave Titus said.
Titus would like to see 6,000 officers, which would be one officer for every 10 protesters expected.
"The problem is going to be is how many troublemakers come. And it doesn't take many to cause a large-scale problem," Titus said.
Harrington said he came to the 3,500 number by researching how many officers other cities have used for recent conventions. He looked at Boston,
Los Angeles, New York and Philadelphia, all which have had a Republican or Democratic convention in the past few years.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Franken's Bill: Service Dogs For Vets
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
Reporting
