Though there’s no ‘credible threat’ of violence, security officials preparing for RNC
Though they’ve seen no “credible threat” of violence at next year’s Republican National Convention in Charlotte, law enforcement officials said Thursday they’re preparing for the possibility.
“The FBI is not aware of any credible threat of violence against the RNC at this time,” John Strong, the special agent in charge for North Carolina, told reporters. But he said officials remain vigilant to the possibility.
Strong was among nearly a dozen law enforcement and public safety who briefed the media on security planning for the convention. As many as 50,000 people are expected for the convention, which will take place at the Spectrum Center in late August.
Officials said they won’t release details of the security perimeter until early summer. The perimeter will affect the thousands of people who live and work uptown.
Secret Service agent Bill Glady, who is coordinating the security response, called it a “work in progress.”
“If you were affected in 2012, you’ll most likely be affected in 2020,” he said.
During the 2012 Democratic convention, many uptown employees worked from home. The center city has grown significantly over the last six years.
The uptown population has risen from 14,500 in 2012 to 21,000, according to Charlotte Center City Partners. The workforce has grown from 73,000 to 116,000.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Kerr Putney told reporter that “thousands” of officers will be available during the convention. As in 2012, many will come from outside Charlotte.
For the Democratic convention, around 1,100 additional officers came from across the state to help along with about 1,000 from across the country, police said. Several hundred National Guard troops also were available.
Putney offered no details about his planned retirement situation. He and the city announced in October that he would retire at the end of the year and return as chief two months later to see the department through the convention.
But that met resistance from state Treasurer Dale Folwell, who oversees the state pension fund. He has said state law prohibits a retiring government worker from collecting a pension with the “intent or agreement, expressed or implied, to return to service.”
This month, City Attorney Patrick Baker told WFAE that Putney will retire on Jan. 1. And of the city and treasurer fail to reach an agreement, “then he won’t be here for the RNC.”
But Thursday Putney said the chances are “very, very good” that he’ll be in Charlotte as chief next summer.
This story was originally published November 14, 2019 at 5:19 PM with the headline "Though there’s no ‘credible threat’ of violence, security officials preparing for RNC."
