City officials plan to present an overview of security preparation for this summer’s Republican National Convention in Cleveland, seeking to counter continuing concerns about readiness to host the event expected to bring 50,000 visitors to northeast Ohio.
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Greensboro police made the decision earlier this week to back out because Cleveland has failed to properly prepare for the event.
“Despite rumors, the Division of Police will be prepared and is on track with its planning goals”, a statement for the office of Mayor Franck Jackson said.
Meanwhile, Cleveland set the official routes today for protests during the convention – a 1 ½ mile route that crosses the Lorain Carnegie Bridge.
Cleveland Police Patrolman’s Association President Steve Loomis claims several cities, including Greensboro, North Carolina and Cinncinnati have backed out of helping, over issues of indemnifying them should officers be injured during the convention.
Also on Friday a Cincinnati police spokesman said it had decided not to send officers as well due to the same concerns, plus the fact that the NAACP is holding its convention in the city on the same week.
The move has also been condemned by civil rights activists demanding that every step is taken to make sure the rights of protestors are not violated by police, which they say will be impossible given the decision not to use all available body cameras.
“A lot has been said that Cleveland is not prepared for the RNC”, he said.
“Police work is risky by nature”.
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Deputy Police Chief Brian James wrote in a memo to the city’s police chief that he had spoken with police administrators experienced in planning events like the GOP convention and that they expressed “a lack of confidence in the city of Cleveland and their preparedness”. “And when we do get it – we’re 50 days out – I’m concerned that we’re not going to have enough time to adequately train with the equipment, if it does get here in time”.
