Tulsa Police Department unit aids Republican convention security in Milwaukee

TPD responded to the Milwaukee Police Department’s request for assistance more than a year ago, but the need for additional manpower suddenly became more critical over the weekend when a gunman near Pittsburgh narrowly missed killing former president and Republican nominee Donald Trump and did kill a bystander.

“We heard about that incident as we were driving here,” said Lt. Todd Thomas of the TPD Special Response Team. “As far as I can tell, what happened has not changed what we are doing.”

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, about 4,000 law officers have come from across the country to bolster security.

Thomas said 25 members of the TPD’s Special Response Team are manning four posts within the “red zone” fenced area surrounding Fiserv Forum, where the convention is taking place.

Their job is to provide security at entry points and watch for disruptions around the fenced perimeter.

In addition, three members of the Incident Management Team are providing administration support.

Thomas said Monday that this is the first time he can remember TPD receiving a request to help with a national political convention.

He said he did not think Chicago, where the Democratic National Convention is being held next month, has put out a similar general call for assistance.

“One of the reasons we saw one come out of Milwaukee is that it isn’t a giant agency,” Thomas said.

The Milwaukee Police Department says it has a little fewer than 1,800 sworn officers.

According to the Journal Sentinel story, twenty-four states and the District of Columbia are sending officers. TPD is the only Oklahoma law enforcement agency participating.

Thomas said that while some of the Tulsa officers present are long-term veterans, others have been on the force only a few years.

“It’s good for them to be here and to get experience in something like this,” he said.