‘Very informative:’ Chicago police assisting with RNC are learning lessons for DNC

MILWAUKEE — Chicago police personnel assisting with the Republican National Convention here say they’re learning valuable lessons they can employ when the Democrats visit the Windy City next month.

Police from the host city have been supplemented with nearly 4,000 federal agents and local officers from as far away as Miami. That includes about 80 Chicago officers who are manning posts around the Fiserv Forum, staffing checkpoints and conducting foot patrols.

“While we’ve been up here, we’ve been walking through their perimeter because it’ll be very similar to Chicago’s — the checkpoints, the vehicle inclusion zones and the way bike teams and everyone patrols the area.  Very informative for us,” said Deputy Chief Duane DeVries, the head of Chicago’s counter-terrorism unit.

Concrete barriers and fencing expand the perimeter around the convention center by several blocks. The arena in the heart of the city means a good portion of Milwaukee’s downtown is off-limits to anyone without credentials.

By comparison, the Democratic National Convention will be held in the United Center, which is a bit of an island to itself on Chicago’s West Side.

“With it being the United Center, you’ll still have thoroughfares shut down with the buses, with the president and vice president’s movements,” DeVries said. “They’re still going to be shutting down streets and different areas will be shut down while that movement is going on.”

Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications plans to have its app updated with real-time information about street closures when the convention is held Aug. 19-11.

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