Security Agencies Ready for RNC 2020

CHARLOTTE, NC – Nine months from the opening of the Republican National Convention in Charlotte, the security plan is being developed by more than a dozen agencies. On Thursday, representatives from local, state, and federal agencies met privately to go over initial plans.

“We have 23 subcommittees,” said Bill Glady, the RNC Coordinator with the Secret Service, “so that’s 23 individual plans that need to be developed, with technical security plans put in place.”

Glady says there are different challenges and some changes for the 2020 event compared to the Democratic National Convention in 2012.
“One of the things we know we need to do is increase vehicle checkpoints to compensate for the large number of residents in the uptown area. so these are all things we are looking at moving forward,” said Glady.

He says they’re working on a secure perimeter that will stretch from around the epicenter to the Charlotte Convention Center and potentially beyond.

“If you were affected in 2012; you’ll most likely get affected again,” said Glady.

Protesters marched the streets in 2012 and even more demonstrators are expected in 2020. The FBI will be keeping a watchful eye.

“The protestors are going to be executing their first amendment rights and as long as they do it in a peaceful and non-violent way, there will be no problem,” said John Strong, the FBI Special Agent in Charge.

Thousands of officers will be patrolling the streets. Leading that effort will be CMPD Chief Kerr Putney. His retirement plan is still in question as the state Treasurer’s office investigates the plan’s legality.

“My intention is to do exactly what I said I wanted to do to support the city of Charlotte,” said Putney.

The Secret Service says it plans to issue its final security plan, which would include the exact secure perimeter, by early next summer.