By Nathan Hardin
nhardin@salisburypost.com
Salisbury Police and the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office received emails from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department Aug. 1 requesting the assistance of local law enforcement for the September 2012 Democratic National Convention.
In a letter to Sheriff Kevin Auten, CMPD Chief Rodney Monroe wrote that the event “requires the implementation of extraordinary security measures which will be compounded by the attendance of the sitting president and the security demands associated with his presence.”
The event has been designated as a National Special Security Event.
The Democratic National Convention will be held at the Time Warner Cable Arena from Sept. 3 to Sept. 6, 2012.
The letter requires any participating officers to be in Charlotte from Sept. 1 through Sept. 7. Officers will also be required to work 12-hour shifts on each deployment.
Salisbury Police Chief Rory Collins wrote in an e-mail that the department will provide officers and equipment to CMPD for the event.
Collins said he has not determined the amount of officers or equipment that he will send to Charlotte.
“Because I feel that it is the right thing to do and because I have no doubt that CMPD would provide assistance to our department should such a need arise, I fully intend to meet Chief Monroe’s request,” Collins wrote.
Collins said this type of assistance is common among law enforcement agencies.
“It is not uncommon for agencies to work together in this fashion when the need presents itself,” he wrote.
The Sheriff’s Office reported that they have not yet determined if it’s possible to send officers to CMPD.
Rowan County Sheriff’s Office Spokesman John Sifford said the department will contact CMPD this week to discuss the convention.
Sifford also said the department must determine if it is feasible to send officers to CMPD because Rowan County is “our primary responsibility.”
Chief Collins said officers who participate will also have to complete assignment-specific training leading up to the event.
“I feel it important to add that, though we will be providing CMPD with this assistance, we will manage this in such a way that the service available and provided to our citizens within the city of Salisbury will in no way be negatively impacted,” Collins wrote.