2024 DNC Chicago: Police, federal agencies work to protect United Center events, pro-Palestinian protest attendees

CHICAGO (WLS) — DNC or not, Chicago police are charged with protecting residents, protesters, property, businesses and neighborhoods.

There will be some backup from departments outside of Chicago, including Milwaukee, where the Republican National Convention was held, but law enforcement officials told Team I that there aren’t many outside cops and that CPD is on 12-hour shifts to cover the Democratic Party . National convention and the rhythms of ordinary community.

ABC7 Chicago is now on the air 24/7. Click here to watch

The US Secret Service is responsible for securing convention sites, delegates, party officials and candidates, employing hundreds of federal officers from specialized teams at other agencies, including bomb detection canine units and explosives technicians from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. in standby.

“We’re bringing 10 canines to the DNC, and their mission for this event is to look for unattended luggage that someone may have left behind or there’s a suspicious package,” said ATF-Chicago K-9 Handler Special Agent Kurt . Bentley.

The DNC in Chicago is a special national security event. This designation alone means that the government considers it a potential target for terrorism or other criminal activity.

Chicago DNC 2024: What you need to know about the Democratic convention, from road closures to speakers

“Anyone that goes into, you know, the inside perimeter of the event will be screened by the Department of Defense Canine,” said ATF-Chicago Special Agent in Charge K-9 handler Dan Durkin.

On Sunday night, the “whole of government” approach to this week’s convention is evident.

“We have hand tools and all the other tools we need to take things apart or something up there. We can process a scene. We can collect evidence,” said ATF-Chicago Explosives Special Agent Anthony Zito.

At the United Center, buses and other vehicles are controlled by federal dog teams.

“The ability to trigger things is constantly changing. So this is becoming kind of a growing threat. And we try to stay on top of that kind of technology,” said ATF-Chicago Special Agent Explosives Stewart Graham.

Asked if Hollywood does a good job of depicting what agents do when they find an explosive device, ATF-Chicago Special Agent bomb technician John Richardson said, “If you have to cut a wire, it’s a very bad day.”

The United Center’s security measures are mirrored by those at McCormick Place, where the DNC meetings will be held.

And US Coast Guard teams patrol the lake.

The Secret Service watches everything. The service has been under the microscope since the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump last month.

“The Secret Service is a no-fail mission. So we are always at the highest levels of security. But let’s say, “But we trade anything for the DNC;” this is not correct. This is a government approach, and they’ve planned for security since April 2023,” said Derek Mayer of the Secret Service.

Chicago DNC 2024: Live updates on street closures, security, parking, protests and more

Sunday evening, Supt. CPD. Larry Snelling welcomed his large designated bike patrol to the first major DNC protest.

This operation provided a glimpse into the police’s strategy for maintaining order during permitted protests: flood the protest route with patrol officers and bike units that must pass on the shoulder, protect property on both sides of downtown streets, and deploy . city ​​street columns and San snow plows as traffic support and crowd control.

No riot gear was in sight this Sunday, although as with all mass events, police assets are not always visible.

“We want people to exercise their First Amendment rights. We’ll protect them while they’re doing it, but we’re not going to guarantee somebody that we won’t make arrests if they start acting violent or committing crimes,” Snelling said. .

Beyond all regular law enforcement, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said 250 Illinois National Guard military police are on standby.

“They’re really on standby, they’re on the perimeter. Nobody expects that we’re going to have to use them for anything very serious. We also want to make sure we have other police-type people who are in uniform and who are trained to be available by the police. We’re just trying to cover all the bases and make sure we’re doing all the right things,” Pritzker said.

The last time the National Guard was activated was during the unrest following the murder of George Floyd. They then did what they would do if they were activated during the DNC: manage street closures and traffic flows — to free up the Chicago police.

Several downtown Chicago businesses are putting up plywood facades Sunday night as their own apparent insurance against vandals and would-be looters.

But most of the retail and business establishments on Michigan Avenue did not escape Sunday night, instead receiving extraordinary protection from the Chicago Police. Officers lined both sides of Michigan Avenue before, during and after the first DNC ​​protest.