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Secret Service lauds Denver for its security plan

By Daniel J. Chacon, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published August 29, 2008 at 9:19 p.m.
Updated August 29, 2008 at 9:19 p.m.

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The Denver Police Department and its state, federal and military partners collaborated for more than a year and a half to develop a comprehensive security plan for the Democratic National Convention.

Now that the four-day event is over, city and law enforcement officials said they expect Denver's plan could be used as a teaching model for other cities that put on big events, along with a report that is being prepared on what worked and what didn't.

"The Secret Service said yesterday that we have set the standard for how a convention, in terms of security, should be run," Katherine Archuleta, a senior policy adviser to Mayor John Hickenlooper and his point-person on DNC planning, said Friday.

The task was not easy. Working under the leadership of the Secret Service, Denver had to plan for a bevy of dignitaries, rowdy protesters and a last-minute move for Barack Obama's acceptance speech to Invesco Field at Mile High, an open-air stadium next to Interstate 25.

Ellis M. Stanley Sr., who was brought in to serve as director of DNC planning for the city's Office of Emergency Management, said that security was only one element of the plan.

"It was security, it was consequence management, it was kind of everything," said Stanley, who oversaw planning for the 1988 Democratic National Convention in Atlanta.

Denver police Lt. Ron Saunier said the "big takeaway" for him at this point is that the coordination among all of the agencies paid off.

The move from the Pepsi Center to Invesco Field for Obama's speech is an example of the synthesis, he said.

"Because all of those relationships and planning had been going on, it made it an easier task," Saunier said.

"By no means was it an easy task, but it made it easier than if we were to be thrown that without having those (relationships) developed."

The performance had its blemishes.

"We had a couple instances out there where unnecessary force was alleged," Saunier said. "We immediately took action and looked at (those allegations) to determine if a case needed to be opened in our Internal Affairs."

The report on how well Denver's planning worked will give police an opportunity to "see if there's something we can do better," Saunier said.

Comments

  • August 29, 2008

    11:03 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    somebunnyluvsme writes:

    Yes we will go down in history as the epitome of a police state to be envied by police states around the globe. I had no idea that there where that many overweight cops in the entire country, let alone Colorado. My hart felt congratulations to Hick, and all the others who planned such an ingenious reception for the honest hard working citizens that exercised their constitutional right to assemble and protest their government. No extra charge for the macing, beatings, and false arrest folks. It was all in the budget from the beginning. Ah to be in Denver when the Democrats are in bloom!!!!

  • September 2, 2008

    1:08 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    sheepherder writes:

    Good job Denver, ignore nobodyluvs her, she's just sour...